Flexible working toolkit
Welcome to our 2026 Flexible Working Toolkit; a practical, straight-talking guide to beginning or progressing flexible working in your organisation
What is flexible working?
Why flexible working matters
Flexible working culture
Transparency & communication around flexible working
The impact of flexible working
Flexible working management & leadership
About Flexibility Works
What is flexible working?
There’s still some confusion about what flexible working is, in part because it can take so many forms, and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Flexible working will look different depending on the person, the role and the organisation, and the sort of flexible working people need may also change at different life stages.
Why flexible working matters
When flexible working is done well, it helps organisations attract and keep good people, supports wellbeing, and creates workplaces where more people can thrive. It also helps people balance work with their lives, get into work and stay in work, which is good for wider society and economy.
Why flexible working matters
When flexible working is done well, it helps organisations attract and keep good people, supports wellbeing, and creates workplaces where more people can thrive. It also helps people balance work with their lives, get into work and stay in work, which is good for wider society and economy.
flexible working TOOLKIT
This Toolkit is built around four key themes that show what good flexible working looks like in practice. Together, these themes make up our Flexible Workplace framework – a simple, practical model that helps employers embed flexibility in a way that works for both people and business. The framework is grounded in more than 12 years of our own research, hands on work supporting employers across Scotland, and insight from our dedicated employer advisory group. This Toolkit is designed to give you practical steps, realistic examples and useful tools — so you can take action with confidence, whatever your starting point.
Culture
Transparency & Communication
Impact
Management & Leadership
Culture
Flexible working becomes meaningful when it is part of everyday working life. A strong culture means flexible working shapes how decisions are made, how people behave, and how work is organised, with trust and support at its core.
Practical ideas
Write and share a short statement that clearly sets out your organisation’s high-level principles and approach around flexible working. Use this wording consistently in policies, conversations and decisions so trust is clear and visible.
Build a regular feedback loop on flexible working (for example, a short question in surveys or check ins) and always communicate one thing you will change as a result.
Transparency
& Communication
Good flexible working depends on clarity and openness. People need clear, honest information about what flexible working looks like in the organisation and feel comfortable having straightforward conversations with their manager about their working arrangements.
Practical ideas
Put all your flexible working information in one easy to find place, so employees aren’t hunting around or relying on different managers giving different answers. Clearly explain who employees should speak to and what the first step in the process looks like.
Some employers create a single intranet page called “Flexible Working Information” where staff can find the policy, the process for making a request, the standard form, and a short guide for starting a conversation with their manager of Manager FAQs.
Impact
Flexible working should make a real difference. Done well, it supports access to work, improves wellbeing, and helps people and organisations perform well in ways that last.
Practical ideas
Review your job adverts and any website content such as “working for us” to clearly state what flexibility is possible for every role, including frontline roles. Put simple processes in place so roles are designed and advertised consistently with flexibility in mind, across teams, rather than relying on individual judgement.
Keep an eye on who is working flexibly, both formally and informally, and check that flexible workers are progressing and not being overlooked. Use exit interviews to spot whether people are leaving because flexibility wasn’t available or supported.
Useful resources
Employer example
mANAGEMENT
& lEADERSHIP
Flexible working is brought to life through leadership. When leaders and managers show clear commitment, apply flexibility consistently, and lead by example, flexible working becomes trusted, fair and credible.
Practical ideas
Ensure senior leaders set clear, shared expectations for managers on how flexible working should be handled, and apply these consistently across teams. Support this with a short manager guide and light touch coaching or training, and add a regular 1:1 check in question such as “Is your current working pattern working for you?”, being open to making adjustments where needed.
Make leadership behaviour visible by encouraging leaders to talk openly about how they work flexibly and the boundaries they protect. When leaders share their own experiences, it sends a clear signal that flexible working is genuinely supported and trusted.
Useful resources
Employer example
R and W Scott case study
About Flexibility Works
Flexibility Works is a boutique consultancy and training organisation providing practical tools, support and resources to help employers build successful flexible working cultures. Founded by Scotland’s leading flexible working experts Lisa Gallagher and Nikki Slowey, Flexibility Works is a purpose-driven social business committed to enriching lives by transforming the way we work.
“We’ve seen first-hand that it’s possible to run a productive, profitable business while supporting work-life harmony. Our vision is simple – a working culture that enables people and businesses to thrive. Having worked in this space for over a decade, we bring deep expertise and practical experience in flexible working, supporting organisations across Scotland. We also work with the Scottish Government, policymakers and employability providers.
Our mission is to accelerate the adoption of flexible and new ways of working by sharing insight and best practice to improve business success, employee engagement and wellbeing. As a social business, we also deliver projects supporting frontline and lower-income workers aswell as jobseekers, exploring and evidencing how flexible working can help reduce poverty in Scotland.”
How we can help your organisation on your flex journey
We’re exploring
What flexible working could look like for our organisation
– Talk to us about the Flexible Workplace Accelerator
We’re building
A consistent and effective approach to flexible working
– Talk to us about Manager Training | Flex Consultancy Programmes
We’re leading
Embedding great flexible working and showcasing it to others
– Talk to us about Flexible Workplace Accreditation
We also work with employability providers – equipping employability professionals to influence employers and helping individuals find and secure flexible jobs.
Thank you to The Scottish Government for supporting the development of the Flexible Working Toolkit.
Flexibility Works is a boutique consultancy and training organisation providing practical tools, support and resources to help employers build successful flexible working cultures. Founded by Scotland’s leading flexible working experts Lisa Gallagher and Nikki Slowey, Flexibility Works is a purpose-driven social business committed to enriching lives by transforming the way we work.
“We’ve seen first-hand that it’s possible to run a productive, profitable business while supporting work-life harmony. Our vision is simple – a working culture that enables people and businesses to thrive. Having worked in this space for over a decade, we bring deep expertise and practical experience in flexible working, supporting organisations across Scotland. We also work with the Scottish Government, policymakers and employability providers.
Our mission is to accelerate the adoption of flexible and new ways of working by sharing insight and best practice to improve business success, employee engagement and wellbeing. As a social business, we also deliver projects supporting frontline and lower-income workers aswell as jobseekers, exploring and evidencing how flexible working can help reduce poverty in Scotland.”
How we can help your organisation on your flex journey
We’re exploring
What flexible working could look like for our organisation
– Talk to us about the Flexible Workplace Accelerator
We’re building
A consistent and effective approach to flexible working
– Talk to us about Manager Training | Flex Consultancy Programmes
We’re leading
Embedding great flexible working and showcasing it to others
– Talk to us about Flexible Workplace Accreditation
We also work with employability providers – equipping employability professionals to influence employers and helping individuals find and secure flexible jobs.
Thank you to The Scottish Government for supporting the development of the Flexible Working Toolkit.
Let's talk flex
Whether you’re looking to introduce flexible working for the first time or need support to strengthen flex within your organisation, we can help.