Flexible working is no longer a perk. It is a baseline expectation. If your job adverts still list "flexible working" as a benefit, you are advertising something that candidates already assume they will get. The question for employers in 2026 is not whether to offer flexibility, but how to build it into a broader people strategy that actually works.

The legal landscape in 2026

The Employment Rights Act 2025 changed the rules. Flexible working is now a day one right, meaning employees can request it from the moment they start, not after 26 weeks as previously required. The other changes are just as significant.

  • Response time: Employers must respond to a request within two months, down from three.
  • Consultation requirement: Before refusing a request, employers must consult with the employee. A flat refusal without discussion is no longer compliant.
  • Two requests per year: Employees can now make up to two statutory requests in any 12-month period, up from one.
  • No requirement to explain impact: Employees no longer need to set out what effect their request might have on the business. The burden of justification sits with the employer.

The eight statutory grounds for refusal remain the same (burden of additional cost, detrimental effect on ability to meet customer demand, inability to reorganise work, and so on). But the shift in tone is clear. The legislation treats flexible working as the default, not the exception.

For employers with 10 to 500 employees, this has practical implications. You need a clear policy. You need managers who understand the process. And you need to respond consistently, because inconsistency is one of the fastest routes to a tribunal claim.

What employees actually expect now

The law sets a floor. Employee expectations sit well above it. Across the UK workforce, flexible working preferences now extend far beyond remote work.

Hybrid and remote options remain the most visible form of flexibility, but they are not the only ones that matter. Employees are also looking for:

  • Compressed hours, typically a four-day week with longer daily hours, which is increasingly common in professional services and tech.
  • Flexible start and finish times, allowing people to manage school runs, caring responsibilities, or simply work when they are most productive.
  • Part-time options at senior levels. The assumption that leadership roles require five full days is fading. Employers who offer genuine part-time senior positions access a much wider talent pool.
  • Term-time working, particularly valued by working parents and not just in education. Some employers in financial services and professional services now offer term-time contracts as standard.
  • Location flexibility, including the ability to work from different offices, co-working spaces, or abroad for short periods.

The CIPD's 2024 Flexible and Hybrid Working Practices Survey found that 83% of organisations offered hybrid working, 62% offered flexitime, and 37% offered compressed hours. Those numbers have only increased. The same research found that flexible working was more commonly offered by larger employers, but the gap is closing as mid-market employers recognise the competitive pressure.

Generational differences are real but sometimes overstated. Younger workers tend to prioritise location flexibility and compressed hours. Workers over 50 are more likely to value gradual retirement options and reduced hours. But across all age groups, the pattern is the same: people want control over when, where, and how they work.

The link between flexibility and your benefits strategy

Here is the part that many employers miss. Flexible working is not separate from your benefits strategy. It is part of it, and it changes what the rest of your benefits package needs to look like.

Flexibility is a benefit (that costs nothing)

Offering genuine flexible working costs very little to implement but ranks consistently as one of the most valued workplace provisions. In the CIPD's 2023 Good Work Index, flexible working was cited as the second most important factor in job satisfaction, behind only pay. For employers with tight benefits budgets, this is significant. You can improve your employee value proposition without spending a penny more on premiums.

Flexible working changes which benefits matter

When your workforce is hybrid or remote, the relevance of certain benefits shifts.

  • Commuter benefits (season ticket loans, cycle-to-work schemes) become less relevant for employees who are only in the office two or three days a week.
  • Home office support becomes more important. Some employers now offer a home working allowance, ergonomic assessments for home workstations, or a one-off equipment budget for new starters.
  • Wellbeing support needs to work remotely. An on-site gym or lunchtime yoga class does not help someone working from their spare bedroom in Stockport. Digital wellbeing platforms, virtual GP access, and Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) with online counselling fill that gap.
  • Social connection benefits gain importance. When people are not in the same building every day, benefits that bring teams together (team days, social budgets, co-working space memberships) serve a purpose that goes beyond morale.

The role of benefits in a hybrid world

In a hybrid environment, benefits become one of the few tangible, consistent signals of how much an employer values its people. When employees are physically present less often, the things you provide, and how well you communicate them, carry more weight. A well-designed benefits package in a hybrid world is not just a retention tool. It is a cultural signal.

What mid-market employers are getting right

The employers who handle flexible working well tend to share a few traits. They are specific about what flexibility means in their organisation. They set expectations clearly. And they focus on outcomes rather than hours.

Practical examples that work:

  • Core hours models: Employees must be available between 10:00 and 15:00 but can choose their start and finish times around that window. Simple, fair, and easy to manage.
  • Team-led scheduling: Rather than a blanket policy from HR, individual teams agree their own in-office days based on the work they need to do together.
  • Output-based management: Managers assess performance on deliverables, not presence. This requires clear objectives and regular check-ins, but it removes the need to police working hours.
  • Trial periods for compressed hours: Instead of a permanent policy change, some employers pilot compressed weeks for specific teams, measure the impact, and then decide whether to extend it.

The common thread is clarity. Employers who say "we are flexible" without defining what that means create confusion and inconsistency. Employers who say "here is how flexibility works here, here is what we expect, and here is how we will review it" create trust.

What employees value most

Survey data consistently shows that flexibility is not a nice-to-have. It is a decision-making factor.

The CIPD's 2024 survey found that 71% of employees said flexible working was important to them when considering a new role. Among women, that figure was 79%. Among employees with a disability or long-term health condition, it was 85%.

Glassdoor's 2024 Workplace Trends report found that UK employers mentioning flexible working in job listings received 30% more applications than those that did not.

Generational patterns matter for benefits design:

  • Under 30: Prioritise remote working options, compressed hours, and digital wellbeing tools.
  • 30 to 50: Value childcare support, flexible start times, and the ability to work from home without career penalty.
  • Over 50: Increasingly interested in phased retirement, reduced hours, and health-related benefits that accommodate changing needs.

Understanding these preferences helps you avoid a one-size-fits-all approach that satisfies nobody particularly well.

Building flexibility into your benefits review

If you are reviewing your benefits package in 2026, flexible working should be part of that conversation, not a separate HR workstream.

Start by asking three questions:

  • Does our current benefits package reflect how people actually work? If half your workforce is hybrid but your benefits assume daily office attendance, there is a mismatch.
  • Are we communicating flexibility as part of our overall offer? Flexibility, benefits, pay, and culture are all part of the employee value proposition. Presenting them together is more effective than treating them as separate pillars.
  • Do we know what our people actually want? Assumptions are not evidence. An employee survey that covers both benefits and working patterns gives you data to act on, rather than guesswork.

Common mistakes

Having a policy but not a culture

A flexible working policy is necessary but not sufficient. If managers view flexible workers as less committed, or if promotion decisions favour those who are physically present most often, the policy is just words on a page. Culture change requires visible leadership buy-in and consistent behaviour from line managers.

Manager inconsistency

One of the most common complaints about flexible working is inconsistency between teams. If one manager approves every request and another refuses them all, employees notice quickly. Training managers on the legal requirements and your organisation's principles is essential, and it needs to be refreshed regularly, not just covered in an induction module.

Not tracking the impact

Very few mid-market employers measure the effect of flexible working on productivity, retention, or engagement. Without data, you cannot improve your approach or defend it when challenged. Track request volumes, approval rates, absence data, and engagement scores. Over time, this gives you evidence of what is working and what needs adjusting.

Treating flexibility as one-directional

Flexibility works best when it is mutual. Employees benefit from control over their schedules. Employers benefit from the ability to require in-person attendance for specific activities, such as client meetings, team planning, or onboarding. The most effective policies acknowledge both sides.

Where PerkIQ fits

PerkIQ's Healthcheck assessment includes a dedicated Leave and Flexibility category that evaluates your current flexible working provision alongside your broader benefits offering. It gives you a scored view of where you stand, flags gaps, and helps you prioritise improvements, all in one place alongside the rest of your benefits strategy.

Sources

  • CIPD, Flexible and Hybrid Working Practices Survey (2024)
  • CIPD, Good Work Index (2023)
  • Employment Rights Act 2025 (UK)
  • Glassdoor, Workplace Trends Report (2024)
  • Drewberry, Employee Benefits and Workplace Satisfaction Survey (2024)
  • ACAS, Guidance on Flexible Working Requests (updated 2025)