Flexibility is flexible by nature – make it work for you

We know how flexibility works for Boo, but in having a second job, our Happiness Ambassador Amy has the opportunity to see flexible policies in practice in another organisation – one with different people and different pressures.

⏱️Flexibility is measured in trust, not time

My last baby starts school this year. In anticipation of this I’ve switched to term-time working in my maternity role. Voices for Choices is an organisation run by parents, for parents. Our policies are family-friendly, which helps to recruit and retain the best people for the job. I’m also a Boo, so I’m professionally interested in experiencing how the flexibility we preach plays out in practice for another company.

At Voices for Choices, half of our workforce work term time only, the rest work year-round, spreading our hours accordingly. Having originally opted for year-round working, I’ve noticed during the quieter months I struggle to use my time in a way that feels meaningful. August in particular was a month of working through my reading list and quietly fretting about not adding enough value.

🤰But the NHS doesn’t pause…

On the other hand, the idea of stepping back completely during school holidays feels difficult (irresponsible?) in a 24/7 system where continuity matters.

The solution is to align my time with impact. This might mean being present where I’m needed on my ‘non-working’ days. I won’t check out completely. I’ll still show up for key governance and strategy meetings, keep an eye on emails, and be available when it matters. I’ll keep track of my hours and take them back at a time that feels right.

👏Why I think this will work

This arrangement has been offered, not imposed. I’m experienced enough to know what will work – for me, the operational demands of the NHS Trust I work with and also the population I serve.

My jobs are not transactional for me. I’m invested in the outcomes of my work. I want to use the time I’m paid for effectively and I believe this is incongruent with a system in which we are paid to be in a certain room for a fixed period of time. My preference is an approach built on trust and shared purpose – something I feel is much closer to our natural ways of contributing to human society.

❌Rigid systems don’t create commitment.

I once worked for a company where every minute you arrived after clock-in time had to be paid back. One Friday after a delayed morning train, I sat alone in the office after home time with 47 minutes still owed. Was I working during those 47 minutes? Nopety nope. Was I seething with resentment? Yep. I loved that team, but I left as soon as I could.

🤝Being available vs being useful

Someone asked me why I didn’t just sit back and enjoy the down time in August, getting paid to twiddle my thumbs. I understand this question because I believe that when we shifted to an industrialised society we started to become disconnected from the purpose and meaning of our work. We do what our bosses tell us and get money in return. It can feel performative. For many of us it can feel like ‘making someone else rich’. We are quietly disengaged.

So this summer I’ll be choosing presence with my children, using my working time intentionally where it will have the highest impact. My employer will be trusting me to show up when it matters, respecting my judgement and accommodating for the ebbs and flows of my life.

That’s flexibility done well.

Flexibility is flexible by nature – make it work for you