Flexible hours and more time for your personal life - is Adrian Flux the happiest place to work in West Norfolk?

Adrian Flux is stepping up its drive to create one of the "happiest workforces in West Norfolk" by offering more people the chance to embrace a flexible staff-led way of working.

The insurance broker is looking to recruit a further 60 staff this spring thanks to its ongoing success and were overwhelmed by applications this winter from people looking to gain almost complete flexibility over how many hours, and when, they work.

Since November, the company has adopted a pioneering approach that has seen bosses hand control of the working week over to its phone-based staff. And the results, as well as feedback from workers who have hailed the mental health benefits, have been positive.

The company said:"We've had record-breaking sales figures, an impressive decrease in staff absence and a 100 per cent uptake by affected employees choosing to support the changes has added further proof that bosses

were right to put their trust in the groundbreaking initiative."

Staff can now choose their own working pattern on a weekly basis, completely avoid weekend work by doing slightly longer hours in the week, remove mandatory weekend work and late finish (up to 7pm) requirements of long-

term rota system, choose what days, and how many hours in those days, they work - other than one single six-hour shift, which must be completed on one fixed day each week.

Employees can also split their working day/week as they see fit, starting and finishing work when they like or taking a break when they like - as long as their minimum number of allotted hours are completed.

Utilise working-from-home and remote training programmes and systems that are already in place and take advantage of a number of overtime pay offerings - or swap it for extra time off.

Adam Green is one of the 760 original staff who took advantage of the opportunity just months after joining Adrian Flux’s specialist motorcycle division Bikesure. He hailed the move as “definitely making your personal life feel more free” and admitted he felt less anxious as a result of being able to take charge of his schedule.

The revolutionary system is on offer for current and new recruits within the customer service, renewal and quotes teams who work on the phone.

There has been a 55 per cent decrease in staff absence despite the ongoing difficulties around the Covid-19 pandemic remains further proof that the brave move has reaped its rewards.

The group - which includes Bishop’s Stortford-based Sterling Insurance and employs more than 1,500 people - has already successfully operated a flexi-time working pattern for around 200 non-call taking staff for a number of years which helped convince bosses to implement the widespread changes.

The impact of coronavirus lockdowns has also enabled the group to recruit nationally, rather than just locally to its offices, for the first time since Adrian Flux was founded in 1974. But the desire to keep providing employment opportunities in West Norfolk remains and it is hoped more people will join the continued desire for success as a result of offering bespoke rotas that suit an individual’s needs.

Quotes on the new way of working from Gavin Hill, a manager at Adrian Flux said:“It was a massive leap of faith but the performance and adaptability of our staff, and management, during the pandemic had already shown we had every right to trust they could make it work.

“Senior management are very happy with how the new system has gone so far and the positive impact it is clearly having on staff - the feedback we have received has been so encouraging to read and we’re proud to have implemented a system that is clearly helping improve the mental health of our current and future employees.

“We hoped that giving staff control of their working week would help reduce absence levels and we’re delighted to see that has been the case. The fact we’ve had some of the best sales performances in our history has been a real bonus.

“We are now really committed to this new way of working and remain very keen to add to our current staffing levels to ensure we can build on the incredibly positive end to 2021 and encouraging start to the new year.

“My message to people looking for a fresh start or a new challenge is simple - come and join us as we embark on this journey. We’ve never been more appealing to people in different stages of their lives, across the country, who maybe hadn’t considered us as an option for employment.

“Whether you’re a working parent who needs to be flexible to do the school run, a dog owner who struggles with dark morning or evening walks, someone who is hungry to progress or perhaps someone who is looking to wind down a little, our flexible staff-led approach offers something for almost everyone.”

Jenny Le Poidevin, a staff member on the quotes team said: “I have mainly worked in the hospitality industry and I can wholeheartedly say that this is the first company where I feel like I matter - which is incredibly rare for a company of this size.

“With the new flexible approach to working and having the choice to work from home, I can plan and structure my day according to any other commitments that I may have. It is now so much easier to get appointments, like doctors and dentists, where I normally have to book weeks in advance and then try to book a half day or even a full day’s holiday. I can now use my holiday for just that, a holiday.

“As a motivated and driven member of the team, it is nice to know that any overtime I do is now paid. I also have the choice about when, or if, I would like to do overtime. If I want to continue to pursue bonuses and a higher grading next year, I can. Or, if I need, or want, to do less hours to suit my home life, again it’s my choice. Personally, I have opted to be paid any overtime at the end of the year. There is certainly no bank account I can put my money

into where it will give me a 25 per cent return.

“Most importantly for me, as I hope to become a mum in the next couple of years, knowing I can tailor my shifts around having a family sealed the deal for me when the new way of working was introduced. Knowing that I can work from home around other family members’ shifts means I can be there as much as possible to raise my children, earning a full-time wage in the process and without having to put them into very costly childcare.”

Adam Green, a staff member on the sales team said: “I feel like it benefits my mental health because purely when you have a 9-5 job or have specific hours that you’re supposed to work, your mind takes over. You think: ‘I need to work

this hour to this hour, my lunch is at 1pm.’ With flexi hours, if I decide I’m having a bad morning I can switch off for half-an-hour and come back on the phone and work the rest of the day. Or I can just choose to have the rest of the day off and make up the hours over the next couple of days.

“Because I’m able to do my hobbies outside of work it means my whole anxiety levels are completely down. It really helps knowing work is under my control, as long as you work the hours you’ve agreed, and confidence and anxiety wise it’s not an issue. It’s really improved my working ability and progression mental health wise.

“It definitely makes your personal life feel more free. I have a lot of stuff going on outside of work and it really allows me not to panic about losing time, it allows me to rearrange my schedule to work for the working week. I know I’ve got the time to finish the day early if I want to and it helps with my production levels because you don’t feel so drawn down in the job. It’s a job that’s part of your life rather than just work.”