Employees will have the right to make a flexible working request from the first day of their employment, in a move by the government aimed at providing 2.2 million more individuals with improved work-life balance.

Currently, employees must wait for six months in their role before making such requests. The new plan would also require employers to respond within a timeframe shorter and companies would be obligated to provide reasons for declining any requests.

However, it’s crucial to note that these proposals only grant the right to request flexible working; they do not automatically guarantee flexible work.

While these plans represent a positive step for workers, their impact may be limited if employers are not fully supportive of flexible working.