Blended and flexible working: what are they and what's the difference?

Blended working definition

A home working arrangement need not be black and white, of either working at home exclusively or always in the office. Instead, many employers are considering blended working arrangements. But what is blended working?

This is where staff combine working from home and in the office in a way that is suitable for both employers and staff. The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the case for blended working, for example as staff look to ensure they are socially distant and wear masks.

One study shows that as many as eight out of ten staff may switch to a blended office arrangement.

Benefits of blended and flexible working

The benefits of being flexible around childcare commitments can’t be underestimated as a high proportion of workers in the charity sector have family commitments. The pandemic’s acceleration of home and blended working, in particular, has shown many parents the benefits of flexibility to their work/life balance. One study has found that a mere 13% of working parents want to return to the ‘old normal’.

Digital resources

Technology is at the heart of the drive towards blended and flexible working and ensuring digital leaders have the tools they need. This includes arranging meetings easily through video conferencing products such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams.

Workflow and collaboration tools such as Slack and Trello have also made flexible working easier, to ensure that those working from home can communicate with their managers easily – as if they were in the office with them.

Flexible working trial period

When considering flexible or blended working arrangements charities are advised to adopt a flexible working trial period to test different ways of working that can suit both employer and employee.

To avoid a dispute between charity and staff member it pays to ensure there is good communication throughout this trial and the charity informs the employee of its decision.

Documenting the arrangement and new working pattern is also advised to ensure it is fair and both sides can benefit.

Acas and flexible working

Dispute resolution organisation, Acas provides useful information around flexible working and blended working requests made by charity staff. Following their resources can help avoid any disagreement.

This is important as by law workers have the right to make a flexible working request if they have worked for the same employer for at least 26 weeks, are legally classed as an employee and have not made any other flexible working requests in the last 12 months.

Once a request is made employers must make a decision within three months. Parents, carers and workers returning from maternity are among those with a right to put in a flexible working application. The Acas Code of Practice on flexible working requests is an especially useful guide.