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What do we mean by Flexible Working?

Lockdown might seem like a dim and distant memory but one thing that has remained forefront in the minds for many is that they don't want to go back to the corporate workplace, with the traditional nine to five, five days a week and commuting back and to.

In fact, flexible working and a change to the traditional corporate working week are now officially on the agenda.

This month a trial of a four-day week was launched in the UK in a bid to measure whether employees are more productive with longer weekends.

There has been much debate for years over the benefits of a shorter working week and it appears more businesses are now willing to take the plunge, as the Covid-19 pandemic shifts the global work model, perhaps for good.

Around 30 UK companies are taking part in the six-month trial of a four-day week, where employees will be paid the same amount as if they were working their usual five days.

The pilot scheme - run by the 4 Day Week campaign, think tank Autonomy and researchers at Cambridge University, Oxford University and Boston College - will measure whether employees can operate at 100% productivity for 80% of the time. 

As a franchise, flexible working has been at the heart of our business since Pink Spaghetti began. Set up to enable our two founders, Caroline and Vicky, to move away from their corporate careers and leverage their skills to build a successful business on their own terms, this business model proved a huge success and led to them building a hugely successful franchise network across the UK.

Flexible working means you run your business in the way and at a time that suits you. It still takes a lot of hard work but it means YOU are in control of your day/week. Our franchisees also work remotely (mostly from home) which is also a huge benefit financially and time-wise. But how do our franchisees feel about flexible working? Below, our franchisee Penny, shares her story.

Penny Millar - Pink Spaghetti Kendal & South Lake District

Penny started her franchise in early 2019 – she had been employed but was keen to work for herself and wanted to have the flexibility to work hours which suited her family, and alongside other people who understood the constraints this can bring. This would be a refreshing change from her former position.

Penny liked the idea of a franchise, as not only would she be following a proven business model, but she would be provided with a great support network. She saw that having other franchisees, along with the Pink Spaghetti head office team, available to turn to when she had questions or required a second opinion would be invaluable. 

She saw Pink Spaghetti promoting the working mother – understanding the drive to make a business work whilst being able to work flexibly and having a good work/life balance.

Penny Says:

"I think my life owning a Pink Spaghetti franchise will change only for the better. My work/life balance is better, I am able to spend more time with my family and friends and doing all the things I want to do when previously work has got in the way. That’s not to say that I don’t want to be working 40 hours a week! The point is that those 40 hours a week work around me rather than me working around them.”