Flexibility at PC Group
Our core benefits can be broken down into balance, freedom and growth. We believe that people achieve their best when they have work/life balance, the autonomy to do their job and the chance to grow, personally and professionally.
Before the pandemic, Personnel Checks were already exploring how formal flexible working could benefit the business.
The pandemic accelerated this research but fortunately, we quickly realised that hybrid, flexible working arrangements were the future for us.
Following the success of hybrid work during the pandemic, we implemented a permanent hybrid working policy.
The Importance of Flexible Working
According to Working Families, 82% of UK parents would apply for a job that advertised flexible working options. Our own research echoes this sentiment, revealing that over three-quarters of our employees value flexible working. It's not just a perk; it's a necessity for modern living.
Although initiated by the pandemic, our hybrid working policy is now a cornerstone of the business. We realised that all our staff are committed to making Personnel Checks work. In turn, we decided that we needed to make a commitment to work-life balance.
As it stands, it’s been an absolute winner. We recently conducted a survey of our teams to get a measure of whether they felt it was as much of a success as we do. Turns out, they do!
100% felt that Personnel Checks' flexible working model gives them a better work-life balance
100% felt that their team could collaborate effectively at a distance
100% felt they were equipped to do their job from wherever they are
81.8% believed that working from home improved the quality of their work - only 4.5% felt that it impacted their work negatively
91% felt that hybrid working improved their mental health
We understand that a fixed policy doesn’t work for everyone. 50% of our team preferred to work from home the majority of the time. 45% prefer to split their time 50/50. Only 1 person in the business preferred to spend the majority of their time in the office.
This is exactly why flexibility is key. Need to adjust your schedule due to personal circumstances? Just talk to your manager. It's all about finding a balance that works for you and the team.
Flexible working isn't just about clocking in and out at convenient times; it's about recognising that working adults have lives and responsibilities outside of work. Our hybrid model allows our team to manage competing personal priorities effectively, leading to increased productivity and job satisfaction.
Below, we look at some stories from 3 team members from across PC Group and how our flexible approach benefits them.
Louise - Account Manager - TaxiPlus
Louise had worked for TaxiPlus (then just Personnel Checks) for several years before deciding to leave to look after her newborn son. At the time, it didn’t make financial sense for her to continue working just to pay for nursery fees.
A couple of years ago, we approached Louise to see if she would be interested in rejoining us on a temporary basis to help with some projects. But following discussions with Jack, PC Group MD, Louise joined us on a permanent but flexible basis.
“When I left about 3.5 years ago, I got a job in Tesco working evenings. I was out of the house 4 evenings a week which put pressure on me and Graeme (my husband).”
“I had to leave the house the minute Graeme walked through the door (no exaggeration either) to start a shift in Tesco (I worked in the freezers, it was horrific!!). I saw Graeme for about 5 minutes on the days I was working - he'd usually be asleep by the time I finished.”
“I can't express how much flexible working has changed my family life.”
“It was the easiest thing to arrange. I literally told Ryan (TaxiPlus General Manager) what hours I would like to do and he agreed with Jack - it was as simple as that.”
“I work school term time and non-term time hours. The days and hours can vary, but usually I work around 28 hours spread over 3 or 4 days.”
“I feel like we now have proper family time. I spend my evenings with my husband and children and i'm so grateful for that (and so is Graeme because he doesn't have to get 2 kids to bed on his own 4 nights a week!)”
Maria - Product Business Analyst and Technical Projects Coordinator - PC Group
Maria originally worked for our sister company Cummins Mellor Recruitment before going on maternity leave.
Upon returning to work, she worked part-time as an advisor in TaxiPlus. As she is able to work flexibly, she has since moved over to the Tech Team and now works full-time.
Maria expressed a desire for flexible working to help her to manage childcare commitments. This was something we were more than happy to arrange. Maria now works full time, usual hours where possible, but is able to work flexibly to allow for family life.
“Even before the pandemic and the dreaded lockdown, where most employers started recognising the need for flexible working hours, TaxiPlus were always happy to amend my hours to factor in childcare/commuting. In return I was flexible with my days off to suit the business and cover holidays/sickness. It always felt like a two-way thing, where both sides benefitted, which I like. I’m happy to see this reflected elsewhere in the business now.”
“PC have been so supportive of my need to work flexibly. With childcare, sick kids, appointments and the joys that come with parenthood, it’s such a relief to be able to work from home at a moment's notice or take a few hours out of the day to deal with something without feeling looked down on or an inconvenience.”
“My boss frequently says “Real life comes first” and that opinion seems to be reflected across the rest of the management team. My work gets done regardless, whether I'm in the office or sat on the sofa with a poorly child. They know this, and trust me to manage my time both inside and outside of work”
“There is no way I’d be able to commit to this job on a full-time basis if it wasn’t for the flexibility and understanding of the business.”
JP - Copywriter and Content Marketer - PC Group
JP doesn’t have a formal flexible working arrangement in place. However, after becoming a father to triplets and starting the second year of his degree, flexibility has become an essential part of his working life.
As any parent will know, looking after children can lead to lots of unexpected situations.
“Balancing work, family and my degree studies can be hugely stressful but I’m incredibly fortunate to work for an employer who recognises that family comes first.”
“When you have three newborns, things can happen that mean I need to down tools and put my dad hat on at a moment's notice.
“My wife doesn’t drive, so if one of my girls is ill or has a hospital appointment, I’m the only person who can take them”
“Despite not having flexible hours written into my contract, there has never been an instance where I’ve felt pressured to choose between my work or my family."
“Our leadership team recognises that productivity and time spent at a desk aren’t necessarily correlated. As long as I’m delivering the work that’s required, that’s all that matters!”
These stories illustrate how flexible work arrangements have transformed the lives of our employees, enabling them to achieve a healthy work-life balance while contributing effectively to our team.
But it's not just their lives that have been transformed, but our culture as well. By fostering an environment that values balance and freedom, we ensure our employees are at their best, both personally and professionally.
Increased job satisfaction, trust and productivity are some of the benefits we’ve enjoyed since committing to our new approach to working. As we continue to evolve and grow, this commitment will remain.