7 Among the first large organisation to take flexible working seriously in Europe was Lloyds TSB Banking Group (now called TSB Bank). It adopted flexible working because it was sensitive to the social and economic changes that were affecting both customers and staff. There were benefits of adopting work patterns that reflected its staff’s needs and yet still offered quality of service to customers. Recruiting and keeping talented people meant understanding and implementing the right balance between staff’s individual needs, the business’s requirement to control its costs, and the customers’ expectation of excellent service. A survey of employees’ views showed that one of their main concerns was trying to balance the job with outside commitments, such as family and leisure. So, the Group introduced its flexible working policy, called ‘Work Options’. It allowed staff to request a different working pattern from the conventional working day. Sometimes this simply involved starting and finishing earlier or later each day, while maintaining the same weekly hours.

This could benefit the business. Varying staff’s work patterns could mean staffing is more closely aligned with actual customer demand. Job sharing is also used. It suits two staff, who may not want full-time employment and the business can have two people’s combined experience, skills and creativity.

Job-sharing staff can also be more productive than full-time colleagues. Another form of flexible working is ‘compressed working’, where staff work a standard one or two weeks within a shorter timescale, for example by working some longer days a week, then taking extra time off to compensate.

(a) What seem to be the main advantages and potential disadvantages of flexible working for staff, the company and customers?

(b) How can a firm such as Lloyds try and overcome any clashes between the requirements of staff, the business and customers?