What does it really mean to be a flexible employer?

Our Clarico founder wrote to The Irish Times last week and here we have decided to flesh out her thoughts in some more detail. We explore what it really means to be flexible as an employer in 2026.

People as the Differentiating Factor

We are constantly hearing that AI will "transform the way we work." Whilst this is undoubtedly true in terms of productivity, efficiency and administration, at Clarico, we believe the most successful organisations of the next decade won't just be the most "tech-forward", they will be the ones that support and champion their most distinctive asset, their people. People will become the differentiating factor amongst all of the “tech noise”. People will still be key to many businesses and their strategies. People however, are complex and nuanced. They need to be supported effectively to maximise their output and to foster and retain them.

The Rise of the "Sandwich Generation" and the Increased Need for Flexibility

In 2025, the average age of a first-time mother in Ireland reached 33.5 years. This has had a significant impact on a key cohort of workers in 2026.

Now we are seeing workers hit the "intensive childcare" phase when they are 10-15 years into their careers, often coinciding with their peak professional performance. This also coincides with a number of societal issues namely the housing, childcare and infrastructure crises. This places a significant pressure on employees who are having to balance childcare with the increasing needs of elderly parents (the "Sandwich" effect). We are also seeing that employees are living further from city centers, making a "standard" 9-to-5 commute physically and financially draining.

Beyond the "WFH" Default

In the media, "flexible working" has become synonymous with working from home “WFH”. While WFH is a vital tool for reclaiming time lost to commuting and managing household logistics, it is only one of the many potential flexible solutions.

True flexibility is about autonomy over how, when, and where work happens. In an era where AI is removing the friction of manual tasks, we have a unique opportunity to redesign roles entirely. There is an opportunity for employers to collaborate with employees and review roles to incorporate more flexibility into them.

Flexible Models

Some of the flexible models that employers may look to incorporate into their roles include:

Job Sharing: Retains high-level expertise while providing 100% coverage.

Compressed Hours: Allows for dedicated "life admin" or care days without losing full-time status.

Fractional Employment: Connects businesses with elite talent that they might not need (or be able to afford) 40 hours a week.

Core Hours: Moving away from "9-5" to "10-3" core collaboration windows, letting people start early or late.

Part-time work: A permanent arrangement where an employee works fewer than the standard full-time hours, providing a consistent, long-term balance for caregivers.

Contract work: Engaging specialists for defined projects or timeframes, offering the business agility and the worker high-level autonomy.

The Legal Landscape

Irish legislation has begun to evolve to address the modern need for increased flexibility. The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023, has developed mechanisms to assist employees to request flexible arrangements.

the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) has also published a statutory Code of Practice that provides specific guidance on how these requests must be handled. Below is a summary of the key takeaways for employers:

• The Right to Request: All employees have a legal right to request remote working, while parents and those with caring responsibilities have a specific right to request flexible working arrangements (like part-time hours or compressed weeks).

• WRC Compliance: The WRC guidance emphasises that while an employer isn't obliged to grant every request, they are legally required to consider both the employee's needs and the business's needs in a balanced way.

• Formal Process: You must respond to a request within four weeks. If you refuse, the WRC guidance stipulates you must provide clear, written grounds for that refusal based on the Code of Practice.

• Standard of Review: Following the WRC’s framework helps protect your business from potential "failure to consider" claims while ensuring your process is transparent and fair.

The ROI of Flexibility

Some employers worry about "setting a precedent" or impacting client service. But the risk of inflexibility is higher: the loss of institutional knowledge and the high cost of turnover.

Designing a role around a human being’s life is a high-performance and engagement strategy. It encourages loyalty and efficiency and often results in significant cost savings through improved retention.

How to Start the Transition

Building a truly flexible organisation doesn't happen by accident and it doesn't have to be a HR minefield. Working collaboratively with employees to review their roles can be tricky there are several considerations such as impact on client, impact on other employees, setting a precedent etc. but it can be done in a way that benefits the employee and the business.

At Clarico, we partner with forward-thinking employers to assist them with handling employee requests for flexible/remote/part-time work. We help you to navigate the WRC Code of Practice frameworks to find a balance that benefits both the employee and the business. We also offer a range of coaching solutions to support and retain your valuable employees.

Ready to redesign the way your team works?

• Explore our Corporate Partnerships & Workshops.

• Enquire about Employer Coaching.