flexible working policy

flexible working policy

by: HS - 23-01-08 12:57

Has anyone any experience of staff requesting flexible working after returning from mat leave? In particular how do you manage key working with a staff memebr who is only working say 3 days a week?

by: Maestro

Yup, if it doesn't suit the working pattern of the nursery, you dont have to agree. You'd be better to ask an employment specialist though as then you can explain exact details and sort a proper response. Don't get saying yes or no willy nilly!

In my situation a member of staff wanted to only work between the hours of 9 to 5, avoiding the opening and closing hours. As this wasn't feasible I was allowed to reject it.

RE: RE: flexible working policy - 23-01-08 14:06

by: HS

Thanks for that. It's a minefield though isnt it?!

by: Tink84

Would working 3 days not be the same as employing someone part time?

 There are many where i work who only do 2 to 3 days after returning for mat leave but we don't have a key worker system as such as they found that some staff refused to work if there kids weren't in. We share reports when they come around but that is they only tome we focus on small groups of children

by: Maestro

Tink I would have sacked any staff who refused to work regardless of the children that were in!! There is always work to do!

by: Tink84

Yeap i know that too but my manager doesn't see it that way

 I still think we can operate a better key worker system but she won't listen to me, lets see what happens with the new EYFS

by: joshuajones

The standards state that nurseries operate a key worker system, but nowhere in the standards does it say that as a key worker you are only responsible for your allocated key worker children, and no others. Indeed if you look at B23 and FS observations, ALL staff are required/expected to make observations on all the children in the room.

Are you telling us that in your nursery, when its nappy changing time ONLY that child's key worker changes the nappy ? What happens when the key worker is on holiday/off sick ? Does the child not get changed, fed, cuddled ?

Like Maestro, I would have sacked any member of staff that refused to work if her children weren't in. What about all the others ????????

I don't think I have ever heard anything so ridiculous !!

by: Maestro

If you want to hear ridiculous you should hear some of the staff excuses for not coming into work!! Best one so far is because it was raining!! Needless to say employment didn't last long!

Tink i'm finding it difficult to believe that staff just refused to work because they were not the child's keyworker. Have you heard and seen this for yourself or is it a story passed down the great employee grapevine?

by: newsetting

You have to make sure you prove that it is unworkable though. One of my staff wanted to work just three days after her maternity leave. I agreed, and she now jobshares will someone else. They both work together really well, and cover each others sickness and holidays. You have to have a "business reason" to say no. I want my staff to think that I am flexible with them where possible. Also, I think it is nice for parents to see my staff bringing their children into the nursery with them-parents like the fact that other parents are caring for their children.

Worked out properly, flexible working can be beneficial for the nursery and the staff.

by: joshuajones

New setting I agree with you, I have several staff doing flexible working, but they also understand that the needs of the nursery change and therefore their working hours may need to change. As you know nursery populations are a moveable feast. My girls have been very happy to change hours if the need arises, we have offered flexible working on the basis that it must suit the business.

Maestro, I can believe the raining excuse - one of my staff said that very thing, it was raining and it would spoil her hair do !! Like you employment didn't last very long !! 

by: Maestro

There are seven grounds for refusal:

The burden of additional costs.

The detrimental effect on the employer’s ability to meet customer demand.

An inability to reorganise work amongst existing staff.

A detrimental impact on quality.

A detrimental impact on performance.

An insufficiency of work during the periods the employee proposes to work

Planned structural changes.

The employee also has to mention how the changes will effect the employer and how the employee might deal with these. Get some proper advice on this one from an employment specialist/solicitor!

by: Annie

iNEVITABLE BECAUSE OF THEIR AGE STAFF WILL WANT TO START A FAMILY AND AFTER THEIR MATERNITY LEAVE WILL WANT TO PERHAPS ASK FOR FEWER HOURS. As an employer for 18 years this has happened to me on many occasions and I have mostly been able to agree or at least negotiate requests without it having a dterimental effect on the nursery. As I put a lot of effort into training my staff I did not see the point of losing them because they couldn't work full time. However, I did have to refuse a request for a manager as I felt that this was a full time job and could not be done well on three days a week. As for the key worker system. I did hear of a member of staff in a nursery sadly reassuring a  crying child that his key worker would be back soon as a reason for not picking him up and consoling him. Unfortunately, guidelines are so often interpreted in a very silly way and certainly not what was in mind when they were suggested. The idea is that a key worker can liaise with others, take a special interest in the child and maintain his records but that does not mean that she does not give equal love and attention to all the others in her care. For goodness sake!

by: HS

Thanks for all your replies. I am having a chat with her next week and would like to help her but not to the detriment of the children, parents and other staff. I'm concerened about finding someone who will work only 2 days a week term time only but do see that it could help having 2 part timers when covering sickness abscences.

by: Tink84

No i can believe it happening where i work believe you me.

There is plently of staff who wouldn't life a finger if they didn't have too and many who attempt to escape doing nappies. If there are three staff in the room then one does morning, one afternoon and the other near home time.

Personaly if i am in the room that i make sure the children are seperated into groups and we each do our own nappies. Much easier and then no one can escape doing them.

You'll have to see it too believe it but its true

by: chrisball

I think the new enthusiasm for flexible working is a very good thing and will herald a lot of changes in the way businesses view returning mothers. I believe that more and more companies will want to capitalise on the conflict many mothers have between their desire to do the best for their children and the economic and personal benefits of working.

There is currently a survey being conducted that is designed to elicite the views of people in business about the benefits and problems created by flexible and home working.

 You can find it at: http://www.omnisserver.com/survey.html

by: kalual

i was only working 3 days when i came back from mat leave and i still had 8 key children. they were mostly made up of children who did only a few days a week and on the days i worked. i still only do 4 LONG days and all of my children attend nursery on the days i work. it may mean a little restructuring of work keyworkers but it can work. i work flexi hours and start at 930 so i can drop my oldest daughter at school. we also have staff who cant work either end of the day but we rotate the other staff where possible to accomodate this. obviously there has to be a limit thoughand that is for you to determine