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Flexible working

We aim to offer flexibility for people looking for a part-time role or a role with flexible hours. Our policy is informed by the way we work and the way we charge clients for our time.

If you have arranged an alternative working pattern, you should make sure it’s reflected in your calendar so the rest of the team can be confident in knowing when you are and aren’t around.

Requesting a change of working pattern #

If you would like to discuss a change to your working pattern, first speak to your line manager. They will discuss your request, and look at the impact on the team and your work.

Any changes to working patterns are agreed at our discretion and your line manager should review them with you from time to time, to check they are still working for you and dxw.

Once you would like to progress with a new flexible working pattern, please fill in the change of working pattern request form and the People team will make the necessary changes.

Standard working pattern #

The standard working pattern is 5 days per week, Monday to Friday, and 7 hours per day (excluding a break for lunch).

Part-time working #

Weekly or fortnightly working patterns #

We’re happy to talk about a 3 or 4 day week, a 9 day fortnight, or a shorter working day, where it makes sense for your role. This will depend on the nature of your role, client, and dxw needs, and the impact on other team members.

Part time roles have their salary and holiday allowances (including bank holidays) prorated.

For example, when working a 4 day week, the pro rata leave allowance will be 20 days per year of annual leave and 6.5 bank holiday days, giving a total leave allowance of 26.5 days.

Note that you must book bank holidays that fall on a working day as annual leave in BreatheHR when following this working pattern.

Working patterns over longer periods #

As an alternative to a working pattern that reduces your days or hours in a week, we’re happy to talk about working patterns that involve a regular number of weeks working full-time, followed by some full weeks off.

For example, you might work 4 weeks full-time and have your fifth week off, and repeat that on a 5 week cycle: 4 weeks on, 1 week off, 4 weeks on, 1 week off, etc. Alternatively, you might work during school term times, and take the school holidays off.

This pattern works by reducing your salary and borrowing from the pro rata holiday and bank holiday allowance, increasing your total time off but reducing your freely placed holiday allowance. Your annual free holiday allowance might vary year by year depending on how the weeks and bank holidays land in the year, so the pattern must have enough free holiday to cover the maximum number of days you would need off while still allowing you to take some ad hoc holidays throughout the year.

What these patterns mean for your salary #

As a rough guide on how different patterns would impact your salary:

We are happy to discuss the details and work out the best pattern for you.

Compressed hours #

Working with compressed hours involves working your full hours in fewer days. For example, 35 hours in 4 days, from 09:30 to 18:45.

We are happy to discuss compressed hours for all roles but cannot guarantee this will always be an option. Arrangements must be sustainable for your wellbeing and productivity and the needs of the role.

For working patterns with an equal number of hours every day, holiday allowance will be prorated in the same way as for part-time roles. Working patterns with varied daily hours have annual leave prorated and calculated in hours (231 hours per year). You must book bank holidays that fall on working days as leave in BreatheHR.

Last updated: 30 August 2023 (history)