Set up employment policies for your business
Working time policies
There are a number of areas where it is good practice to set up
working time policies.
Leave and absence
Occasionally your employees will need time off work. How you handle
leave and absence may depend on a variety of considerations, including
legal rights and contracts of employment, or it may be discretionary.
In certain circumstances you are legally obliged to give your employees
time off work, eg taking annual leave, health and safety training,
and trade union work. See our guide on allowing time
off work.
There are cases where best-practice policymaking applies, eg requests
involving moving house or looking after a sick relative. Having
policies in place which pre-empt these types of requests will ensure
consistency.
Working hours
Working hours are subject to legal limits - working hours for employees
above 18 are limited to a 48-hour week on average. However, workers
have the right to sign an opt-out agreement. It's a good idea to
manage these working hours and keep appropriate records. See our
guide on hours, rest breaks and the working week.
Overtime
No statutory rules oblige you to offer overtime to your employees
or require your employees to work it. However, it is best practice
to have policies in place so that it is handled effectively. If
you think that overtime is a regular feature of an employee's work,
this should be included in their employment contract.
Rates of overtime pay should be agreed with employees, as no minimum
statutory levels apply. See our guide on how to manage
overtime.
Work-life balance
Encouraging work-life balance is important for your business and
you may wish to introduce appropriate policies to conform to best
practice. If employees are, for example, undertaking external work
such as a second or part-time job, you may find that this impacts
negatively on their performance. Setting up family-friendly policies
is one way of addressing work-life balance issues. Such policies
should include opportunities for employees to work flexible hours,
job-share and take above minimum maternity and paternity leave.
See our guide on how to meet the need for work-life
balance.
Subjects covered in this guide
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