The Future Is Flexible: Benefits of Flexible Working Jobs for the Over-50s

The world of work is changing to match these needs too. If you’re over 50 and want to give up the nine-to-five, retirement is no longer your only option. There are a wide range of flexible working jobs, which give you more freedom to work around your schedule.

Flexible working jobs have been steadily growing in popularity in recent years. In 2022, an estimated 4.3 million employees (around 13% of the working population) in the UK had employment contracts that allowed for flexible working hours. 

Another survey of senior decision makers found that over three quarters (78%) of organisations allow hybrid working, which gives staff the freedom to split their work between home and the office.

Three Benefits of Flexible Working Jobs for the Over-50s and 60s

Fit a Job Around Caring Responsibilities

It’s common to find yourself with caring responsibilities later in life. We’re living longer, but that means our loved ones are too. If you live with an elderly relative or need the flexibility to visit them at the drop of a hat, full-time hours at an office simply won’t work.

A flexible working job lets you adapt your working hours around your own needs. Most employers will want you to maintain a set of core hours (such as 10 am to 4 pm), but flexible working arrangements give you the freedom to start earlier or later if you want to.

With flexible hours, you don’t need to sacrifice a job you love because of caring commitments. You can start later if you need to make a house visit over breakfast, or finish earlier if you need to drive a parent to a hospital appointment. 

Some flexible working jobs will also offer an annualised hours contract, which allows you to work a specified number of hours over a year, rather than the same hours every week or month. It’s worth considering if you’re not sure you can commit to set days every week.

Work From Anywhere

Most flexible working jobs offer hybrid or remote working, unless there’s a clear need for you to be on site every day. 

Having the option to work remotely means fewer commutes, a better work-life balance and more autonomy over how you spend your time. Depending on how often you have to be in the office, there’s no obligation to stay close to a major city all the time – you can pick up a phone or a laptop and work from anywhere.

It’s ideal if you’re in your 50s and 60s and want to spend more time living elsewhere. Catch some sunshine at your second home in Spain or, for less peace and quiet, spend a few days visiting your grandkids. For a lot of flexible working jobs, all you’ll need is a good Wi-Fi connection.

Freedom to Pursue Other Interests and Hobbies

Flexible working jobs also give you more time to pursue other interests, whether it’s taking up a hobby, learning a new language or volunteering for a charity. 

Rather than having to choose between making extra money and taking that class you’ve always wanted to do, flexible working jobs allow you to do both. You can free up hours in the morning or evening, or even dip into a project over lunch while you’re working from home.

Flexible Working Jobs: Understand Your Rights

If you’re an employee in the UK, you have the legal right to request flexible working. Anyone can put in a request – you don’t need a reason like childcare or caring responsibilities. 

To request flexible working, known as “making a statutory application”, you’ll need to have worked for the same employer for at least 26 weeks. You can make one application per year, so if your request is denied, you’ll need to wait a year before you apply again.

Here’s How to Apply For Flexible Working At A Job:

1. Writing to Your Employer

Your flexible working application needs to have a paper trail, so put your request into an email or letter to your employer. Some employers will ask you to fill in a request form.

The application must include:

• The date of the application.
• A statement that explains that you’re making a statutory request.
• Details of how you want to work flexibly (read about types of flexible working here).
• When you want to start working flexibly.
• A brief explanation of how your flexible working could affect the business and how, in your opinion, any challenges could be overcome (i.e. if you’re not at work on certain days, who will manage your responsibilities)?
• A statement saying if and when you’ve made a previous application for flexible working.

2. Reviewing Your Request

Once you’ve applied for flexible working at your job, your employer has to review your request in a “reasonable manner”. The Acas code of practice gives the following guidance on handling requests in a reasonable manner:

3. Meeting With Your Employer

Once your employer has received your flexible working request, they should arrange a meeting with you. This meeting will give you the opportunity to explain what flexible changes you’re looking for and how they would benefit both you and the business. 

If your employer is already planning to approve your request, then this meeting isn’t needed.

4. Considering the Changes

Your employer should consider your request for flexible working carefully, rather than making a snap decision. This includes weighing up the benefits of the requested changes against any adverse impact on the business.

5. Making a Decision About Flexible Working

The employer will make a decision within three months, although this might be longer if it’s been agreed with you beforehand.

If your employer agrees to your request for flexible working, they must change the terms and conditions of your contract to reflect your new working conditions. It’s also important to discuss exactly how and when the changes will be implemented, to avoid any misunderstandings.

6. Refusing a Request for Flexible Working

If your employer rejects your request, they must write to you to provide the business reasons for refusal. An employer can reject an application for any of the following reasons:

• Flexible working arrangements will result in extra costs that will damage the business.
• The work can’t be reorganised among other staff.
• People can’t be recruited to do the work.
• Flexible working will affect quality, performance or customer service (e.g. if the business won’t be able to meet customer demand).
• There’s insufficient work to do during your proposed working times.
• The business is planning structural changes.

While employees no longer have a statutory right to an appeal, a lot of employers will give you the chance to appeal because it helps to demonstrate that they’re handling the request in a “reasonable manner”. 

If you don’t believe your employer has reviewed your flexible working request in a “reasonable manner”, you can complain to an employment tribunal. You can also complain to a tribunal if your employer:

• Wrongly treated your application as withdrawn.
• Dismissed or treated you poorly as a result of your flexible working request (e.g. if you were refused a promotion or pay rise).
• Rejected your flexible working application based on incorrect information.

Read more about the government’s guidelines for flexible working here.

How to Find Flexible Employers

Ready to find a fantastic flexible working job that ticks all the boxes for both your work and life ambitions? Before you start your research, make sure you have a clear idea of what type of flexible work you’re looking for.

Common types of flexible working include:

• Working from home: Work remotely either some or all of the time.
• Flexitime: Choose when to start and finish work (though you’ll usually need to work set core hours every day).
• Job sharing: Two people share one job and split the hours.
• Compressed hours: Work full-time hours but over fewer days (such as working longer days Monday to Thursday, then taking Friday afternoons off).

Your next step is to start looking for flexible employers. Of course, you could apply for any job and request flexible working at a later date, but there’s no guarantee that your employer will agree. If flexible working is a priority for your next job, it’s better to reach out to employers that you know share the same values.

Our Jobs/Redefined portal has thousands of job roles listed with age-inclusive employers, so it’s the perfect place to start job hunting in your 50s and 60s. You can refine the job listings by type, to easily view full-time, contract, temporary, part-time or remote roles.

Some of the great employers featured include:

• Motorpoint: A top 100 employer, working with a team that celebrates age diversity. From mechanics to office roles, they have a selection of roles around the UK.
• Ipsos: Market research firm Ipsos runs employee initiatives which focus on financial, mental and physical wellbeing, and promote flexible working.
• The Fundraising Partnership: Want true flexibility while raising funds for a good cause? The Fundraising Partnership offers both full and part-time roles, and you can work flexible hours to easily accommodate personal commitments.

Browse job opportunities for over-50s here.

Four Tips for Adapting to Flexible Working

If you’ve worked nine-to-five for most of your life, a flexible working job can take some getting used to. Here are four tips to adapt to flexible working and embrace the next phase of your life:

1. Set Expectations.

Make sure your expectations for flexible working are aligned with other people’s at the business. If you’re working flexitime and starting earlier or later, your manager or team need to understand when you’ll be in work each week. 

The last thing you want is to be working “ghost hours” around your schedule – answering calls or replying to emails outside of your set working hours.

2. Structure Your Day.

If your new job involves working remotely, structure is your friend. Working from a second home or relative’s house is always enjoyable, but – let’s be honest here – it’s also rife with distractions. Remote work is built on trust, so ensure you’re structuring your days in a way that allows you to stay productive. 

3. Be Visible With Your Work.

Visibility is key to the success of flexible working jobs. If you’re in the office every day, it’s easy to chat with coworkers and keep them updated on your progress. It gets trickier if you’re working different hours, or even working remotely from a different time zone (second home in California, anyone?).

Make sure there’s a system in place for you to keep the rest of your team in the loop. It might be a catch-up call at the start of your working day or an itemised email where you briefly outline what you’re working on.

This visibility is especially important if your motivation for finding flexible work was to fit it around caring responsibilities. If you might need to dash off suddenly, your colleagues need to know what to pick up.

4. Get Familiar With Helpful Technology.

While technology isn’t necessary for every flexible working job, it does make it much easier to work effectively. From online messaging to project management tools, technology can be used to keep track of what people are working on at any one time.