Flexible working : Is it right for me?

If you are someone who is filled with dread at the idea of working nine-to-five in a single location then flexible working may provide an alternative. If you have multiple skills and interests and are struggling to find one job that suits you then flexible working may offer you the opportunity to balance multiple jobs or to balance work and hobbies. Flexible working can also be worth considering if you want to take time out to raise a family, or have caring responsibilities, but don’t want to stop working entirely.

Flexible working tends to appeal to people who value autonomy and variety, and who are organised, focused and self-motivated. There are lots of different kinds of flexible working, and different approaches will appeal to different people. The downside of flexible working is that it can be stressful to balance different jobs or interests, you may experience more financial uncertainty and you may feel more isolated from colleagues than if you work full time in one location. 

Advantages of flexible working

• Greater autonomy.
• More variety in work.
• Better work-life balance.
• Multiple income streams can spread financial risk.
• More choice of working locations and styles.
• Relative freedom from organisational politics.
• More choice over taking time off.
• Less time spent commuting.
• Ability to develop multiple or alternative career paths.

Disadvantages of flexible working

• Stresses of time management. 
• Financial pressures or uncertainty.
• Loneliness from lack of colleague contact.
• Isolation in the workplace - feeling ‘left out’.
• Lack of regular routine.
• With freelance work, a need to market yourself. 
• Lack of understanding from others who choose more conventional paths.
• Difficulty ‘switching off’ at the end of the day.
• Stress in close relationships.

What are the options?

Types of flexible working include flexibility in the number of hours worked or when they are worked and in terms of working location (for example homeworking). Options include:

• reducing working hours;
• changing the pattern of working hours;
• managing several different jobs;
• temporary or agency work;
• working from home;
• freelance work;
• time out on a career break;
• self-employment;
• voluntary work.

Getting a work-life balance

Flexibility in your working life can also impact on your personal life. While you may have more flexibility to take time off or adjust your working patterns, you may also find it difficult to turn down work and this can impact on your free time.

Flexible workers may find the concept of work-life blend more fitting than work-life balance. Flexible work allows you to ‘blend’ your personal interests and personal life with your working life, allowing you to get more out of your time.

You may find it useful to look at the Windmills  website which contains exercises and activities to help you examine your work-life blend and identify possibilities for the future.

For case studies and up-to-date information and debate about the changing world of work and developments in flexible working, see the not-for-profit website Flexibility .