National Work Life Week
What do SME Employers need to know about work life balance, Employment Law and Workplace Culture?
National Work Life Week, taking place from 5–9 October 2026, and is an opportunity for business owners and leaders to look at how work is organised within their business and whether their current approach supports both employees and business performance.
For smaller businesses, work-life balance can be challenging to manage. You may have a small team, customer commitments to meet and limited capacity to cover unexpected absences or changes to working patterns. Offering flexibility isn't always straightforward, particularly where employees need to be physically present to do their jobs.
But work-life balance isn't simply about allowing people to work from home or finish early on a Friday.
It is about creating a working environment where employees understand what is expected of them, workloads are manageable and working arrangements are considered fairly. It also means understanding your legal responsibilities as an employer.
For SME owners and directors, getting this right can help you retain experienced employees, support wellbeing and build a positive workplace culture.
Why does work-life balance matter?
When you're running a small business, the impact of losing an experienced employee or managing a prolonged period of absence can be significant.
Workloads may need to be redistributed, colleagues may face additional pressure and recruitment can take time and money. If employees regularly feel overwhelmed or unable to balance their responsibilities, this can also affect morale and retention.
Supporting work-life balance isn't about removing the demands of running a business. It is about considering whether your working practices are helping people perform at their best or creating unnecessary pressure.
For example, could a change to start and finish times help an employee manage caring responsibilities without affecting customer service? Could more predictable shift patterns help employees plan their lives outside work? Are deadlines and workloads realistic for the time and resources available?
These are practical questions that can help you identify improvements without necessarily introducing significant additional costs.
What does flexible working mean for employers?
Flexible working can take many forms, depending on the role and the needs of the business.
It might involve:
Flexible start and finish times.
Part-time working.
Compressed hours.
Hybrid or home working.
Job sharing.
Changes to shift patterns or working days.
More predictable rotas.
Not every arrangement will be suitable for every role. A manufacturing business, for example, may need employees on site during particular shifts, while a professional services business may have more scope to offer hybrid working.
The important thing is not to assume that flexibility is only possible in office-based roles.
Consider what the job requires, where there may be scope for change and whether an alternative arrangement could work for both the employee and the business.
Sometimes a relatively small adjustment can make a meaningful difference.
Flexible working: what does the law require?
One of the most important areas for employers to understand is the statutory right to request flexible working.
Employees have the right to make a statutory flexible working request from their first day of employment. They can request a change to their hours, the times they work or their place of work.
Employees can make up to two statutory requests in a 12-month period, although only one request can be live at a time.
Does this mean you have to agree to every request?
No. The right is to request flexible working, not an automatic right to have the request accepted.
However, employers must follow the statutory process. Unless you agree to the request in full, you must consult the employee before making a decision. You must deal with the request reasonably and make a final decision, including any appeal, within two months unless a longer period is agreed.
If you decide to refuse, you must rely on one or more of the statutory business reasons. These include additional costs, an inability to reorganise work among existing staff, a detrimental impact on performance or an inability to meet customer demand at the proposed times.
For an SME, these considerations can be particularly relevant. You may have limited staffing capacity or need specific employees available at particular times.
However, it is important to consider each request on its individual circumstances rather than automatically refusing arrangements that appear difficult at first.
Could you accommodate part of the request? Would an alternative working pattern help? Could a trial period help establish whether the arrangement is workable?
Taking time to explore the options can help you reach a better-informed decision.
You can find further information in the Acas guidance on statutory flexible working requests.
Flexible working law is changing
Employment law continues to develop, and employers should keep their policies and procedures under review.
The Employment Rights Act 2025 introduces further changes to statutory flexible working requests. On 1 October 2026, Acas launched a consultation on a revised Code of Practice to reflect the forthcoming requirements.
The changes are expected to take effect in autumn 2027.
Under the new requirements, employers will need to follow specified steps to consult with an employee before refusing a request, unless they accept it in full. Employers will also only be able to refuse a request where it is reasonable to do so, based on a statutory business reason, and will need to explain their decision.
Until the new requirements come into force, employers should continue to follow the existing statutory process and current Acas Code of Practice.
What should SME employers do now?
Use this opportunity to check that your flexible working policy is up to date and that managers understand how to handle requests.
Make sure there is a clear process for recording requests, discussing possible arrangements and communicating decisions. It is also worth considering whether managers need additional guidance or training.
You can read more in the Acas update on flexible working law.
Don't overlook workplace culture
Having a flexible working policy is a useful starting point, but it doesn't automatically create a supportive workplace.
Your workplace culture is shaped by everyday behaviour, including how managers communicate, how workloads are allocated and whether employees feel comfortable raising concerns.
For example, an employee may technically have flexible working arrangements but feel unable to use them because they worry about how their manager will react. Another employee may regularly work late because they believe leaving on time will be seen as a lack of commitment.
These situations can undermine the benefits of your policies.
For SME owners and directors, this is particularly important because the behaviour of senior leaders can have a significant influence on the wider team.
If you regularly send emails late at night or expect employees to respond outside their normal working hours, people may assume that the same is expected of them.
Creating a positive culture doesn't require complicated initiatives. It starts with setting clear expectations, treating employees consistently and ensuring managers lead by example.
Consider whether your business:
Encourages employees to raise concerns about workload.
Respects agreed working hours and flexible arrangements.
Applies policies consistently across the team.
Encourages employees to take breaks and annual leave.
Gives employees opportunities to discuss working arrangements.
Sets realistic expectations around availability outside normal working hours.
A supportive culture doesn't mean removing accountability. It means giving people the clarity and support they need to do their jobs effectively.
Work-life balance and work-related stress
Another important consideration is whether your employees' workloads are manageable.
An employee may work their contracted hours but still feel overwhelmed because of unrealistic deadlines, insufficient resources, conflicting priorities or a constant expectation to be available.
This is where work-life balance overlaps with health and safety.
Employers have a legal duty to assess the risks of work-related stress and take steps to address them. The Health and Safety Executive identifies six areas to consider: demands, control, support, relationships, role and change.
For smaller businesses, this doesn't necessarily mean introducing a complicated new process. It means taking a structured look at how work is organised and identifying where problems may arise.
Ask yourself:
Are workloads realistic for the time and resources available?
Do employees understand their priorities?
Are staffing levels and deadlines putting unnecessary pressure on the team?
Do managers provide appropriate support?
Are changes communicated clearly?
Do employees have opportunities to raise concerns before problems escalate?
Where risks are identified, employers should take appropriate action and review whether the steps taken are effective. The HSE provides practical guidance and examples to help smaller businesses assess and manage work-related stress.
You can find further information in the HSE guidance on work-related stress.
What can SME employers do this National Work Life Week?
You don't need to redesign your working practices in one week. Instead, use the opportunity to review what is already in place and identify where improvements may be needed.
1. Review your flexible working policy
Check that your policy reflects current legal requirements and explains how employees can make requests. Make sure managers understand the process, relevant timescales and the importance of considering requests fairly.
2. Look at how work is organised
Consider whether workloads, deadlines and staffing arrangements are realistic. If employees regularly work beyond their contracted hours, look at the reasons rather than assuming this is simply part of the job.
3. Check that managers are setting the right example
Are managers respecting working hours, encouraging employees to take breaks and communicating expectations clearly? Policies are more effective when everyday behaviour supports them.
4. Consider where flexibility is possible
Look at different roles across your business. Even if home working isn't practical, could adjusted start times, predictable rotas or alternative shift patterns help?
5. Make sure employees can raise concerns
Employees should have a clear way to discuss workload, working arrangements and wellbeing concerns. Early conversations can help you identify problems before they become more difficult to manage.
6. Keep up with employment law changes
Review your policies and management processes regularly, particularly where legal requirements are changing. If you're unsure how a request should be handled, seek appropriate HR advice before making a decision.
How can Hello People Solutions help?
At Hello People Solutions, we understand that SME owners and directors don't always have the time, resources or specialist knowledge available to larger organisations.
Managing flexible working requests, keeping employment policies up to date and creating a positive workplace culture can be challenging, particularly when you're balancing the needs of employees with the practical demands of running a business.
Our role is to help SME leaders navigate these responsibilities with a practical, people-focused approach, so you can make informed decisions while supporting your employees.
National Work Life Week is a useful reminder to review not just the policies you have in place, but how they work in practice.
A healthy workplace is one where employees understand what is expected of them, feel able to raise concerns and are supported to do their jobs effectively. For employers, that means combining a clear understanding of employment law with good management and a willingness to consider how work can be organised differently.
If you'd like to review your flexible working policy, discuss an employee request or strengthen your approach to people management, get in touch with Hello People Solutions.
