We believe that by advising both companies and individuals we gain a unique insight into the issues affecting both parties.

For Law Firms

We can provide expert advice on different working practices for lawyers and law firms drawing on our experience working with lawyers and drawing on Anna Kavanagh’s  (director and founder of Time4balance) own experience as an ex-City lawyer herself. 

Time4balance has conducted extensive research on the issues affecting law firms’ ability to attract and retain the best in talent amongst lawyers. We have worked with both law firms and individual lawyers in analysing a variety of working patterns in different fields of practice to enable us to recommend the most workable solution.

We have assembled many case studies of lawyers working in different working patterns enabling them to continue their career and enabling law firms to retain their talent and provide them with a competitive edge over more rigid, traditional firms who insist on keeping the traditional working patterns and workplace. 

If a workplace dispute arises out of a flexible working issue, Time4balance can provide expert evidence in Employment disputes to determine whether or not a particular individual’s role could be performed in the flexible arrangement sought. We have written reports for Tribunal cases and given evidence to Tribunals in employment disputes.

For Companies

This means advice on workplace change including flexible working legislation, strategies, policy and implementation, change management and office restructuring.

Businesses need to be dynamic to thrive in an increasingly competitive global marketplace. The economic climate is constantly changing; the labour market is changing too. Individuals are increasingly looking for a more flexible working arrangement to help them balance the demands of work, professional development, caring responsibilities hobbies, travel and other external pressures. In addition, the legislative environment is providing workers with a wider array of employment rights.

Time4balance can provide advice and training to help companies understand how to devise and implement flexible working arrangements to suit their business needs whilst accommodating their employee’s personal needs for flexibility.

• Increase competitiveness and productivity
• Flexible working arrangements can potentially help businesses to:
• Reduce rental space and associated costs
• Meet customer demand
• Operate in global time zones
• Reduce staff turnover
• Become an “employer of choice”
• Meet legislative requirements

Time4balance can provide a team of specialist consultants to assist companies in devising and implementing flexible working strategies, working in association with other specialist consultancies. We provide expertise in the following areas:

Workplace Design

Architects, space planners and designers can ensure that your organisation’s workplace is providing optimum support using spaces such as break out areas, quiet concentration areas and collaborative working spaces.

Occupational Psychology

We can analyse individuals, using our personality tool, to determine whether their personality is suited to a particular mode of working. We have also developed a tool to objectively assess an individual’s particular role and its suitability to a particular working arrangement.

Change Management Specialists

Once a flexible working policy has been devised, our specialists can help the managers and overall organisational structure to support and implement the change required in culture and processes.

Information Technology

With the overwhelming plethora of devices on the market, our information consultants can advise on how to use technology to support flexible working practices.

Lawyers

The flexible working legislation is complex and potentially damaging to the employer if not complied with. We can advise on the different pieces of legislation which need to be considered when introducing flexible working. In particular, we offer specialist advice in relation to the new “right to request” a flexible arrangement under the Employment Act 2002.

Property Issues

The physical workplace is often the largest asset a company has and needs to be utilised to its maximum efficiency. We can measure the utilisation of a workplace and assess how this can be optimised.

Process Analysis

We can provide assistance in analysing the processes of a business to determine their suitability to flexible working practices.

Training

We can provide training on all of these issues for the internal management and staff to help them to implement the flexible working practices.

  Life Style Management

Assistance for your employees to meet the demands on their time in the most effective way to enable them to make the most of their potential whilst meeting their family and other personal commitments. There is much anecdotal and empirical evidence which supports the contention that an employee who is able to effectively balance work with personal commitments is more loyal, more productive and has higher levels of job satisfaction; all these benefits result in advantages to the employer too. Its a win:win situation.

For Individuals, this means…

Advice about how to apply for a flexible working arrangement, the different types of flexible working arrangements, devising a business case for flexible working, providing supporting evidence of successful flexible working arrangements to support an application to work flexibly. Time4balance can also advise about obtaining finance to pay for consultancy and legal fees.

People have a variety of reasons to want to work flexibly:

• Caring for children and elderly relatives
• Playing in an Orchestra or band
• Stress
• Professional development
• Hobbies
• Religion/Spiritual development
• Sports
• Housing problems
• Travel
• Transport difficulties
• Not wishing to commute
• Congestion charging
• Parking problems
• Illness, long-term or short-term both physical illness and mental health difficulties.

A better work-life balance can bring:

• Greater responsibility and a sense of ownership
• Better relations between management and shop floor
• Improved self-esteem, health, concentration and confidence
• Loyalty and commitment
• A reduction in bringing home problems to work - and vice versa
• Time to strike a better balance with life outside work
• Greater control of your working life

A Unique Service

Time4balance recognises that many individuals need to work more flexibly in order to balance the conflicting demands made on their time.

Employees need help and guidance on how to approach their employer to find a flexible working arrangement that suits their personal need for flexible time whilst meeting their employer’s business needs.

Time4balance provides the following unique service to people seeking to work flexibly:

Legal advice on employment legislation

• The right to request a flexible working arrangement under the new Employment Act 2002
• Parental leave rights
• Part-Time Workers Regulations
• The Working Time Directive
• Discrimination issues (sex, race, age)
• Health and safety legislation
• Other related legislation.
• Practical assistance
• Drafting the “right to request” application
• Assessing the needs of the employer and devising ways of meeting those needs
• Negotiating with the employer to find solutions to any issues raised by the employer
• Providing examples of how a flexible arrangement can work

Time4balance can find and interview other workers who are in a comparable job, with a comparable client base and in a comparable organisation.

We can provide these case studies to the employer, illustrating how a particular job can be performed flexibly.

This will help employers and employees to better understand the issues raised by the proposal to work flexibly and thereby find possible solutions.

Funding an employment dispute

Unfortunately, people sometimes find that they are forced to either resign or litigate in order to obtain a flexible working arrangement. Should all negotiations with your employer break down, Time4balance can help individuals find funding to assist with legal fees to bring a claim against their employer.

Bringing a claim in the Employment Tribunal

Time4balance does not act on behalf of employees bringing claims in an Employment Tribunal but works in association with Palmer Wade, a specialist firm of lawyers who specialise in these types of cases. They are considered leaders in their field for this type of work.