Workforce Planning

20th October 2025

Is Flexible Working a Dying Perk in the Contact Centre?

The words flexible working being shown as paper ripped away

Not too long ago, flexible working was hailed as the future of work.

It was the buzzword on every corporate leader’s lips, the promise dangled before candidates, and, for many, a lifeline during and after the chaos of the pandemic years.

But fast forward to 2025, and a subtle shift is underway. What was once a staple expectation is starting to feel like a luxury…

So, what’s actually going on in contact centres? Are we seeing a reversal in progress? And what does this mean for the future of hiring, retention, and workforce morale in one of the most high-pressure jobs going? Let’s take a look!

Flexible Working Has Always Been Around at Executive Level

Flexible working has always been around for the right people – that is, if you had a high enough position or were at executive level – but it was only during the pandemic that it became mainstream, and we saw the explosion of remote and hybrid working for the everyday individual.

Studies flooded in about productivity staying stable (or even improving), while workers basked in better work-life balance. Global trends followed suit, with major companies like Dropbox, Twitter (pre-Musk), and even Government departments embracing the remote revolution.

But by late 2023 and into 2024, the tone began to regress. Companies started pulling teams back to the office – either partially or fully. The reason? Collaboration, culture, and, in some cases, control.

In 2025, we’ve now landed in a strange limbo. Flexible working isn’t disappearing entirely, but it’s certainly being treated with more scrutiny. Rather than the default, it’s becoming something that has to be earned, justified, or defended.

Flexible Working Rights Offer a “Port in the Storm” (in the UK)

The good news is legislation has continued to evolve to support employee choice.

As of April 2024, the UK’s new Flexible Working Regulations came into force, giving all employees the day-one right to request flexible working (as opposed to waiting 26 weeks).

Employees are also now allowed to make two requests per year, and employers must respond within two months – a shorter window than before.

But, and it’s a big BUT, the right to request doesn’t equal the right to receive.

Employers can still deny requests for a range of reasons – from cost, to business needs, to quality and performance concerns. That grey area leaves room for inconsistency, especially in sectors where output is tightly monitored.

So legally, we’ve made progress. But practically? It’s still a mixed bag.

Many Contact Centres Are Now Edging Backwards

During Covid-19, many centres rapidly adapted, enabling remote access to systems, bolstering cybersecurity, and training agents to handle customer queries from their living rooms – and the shift brought in clear benefits.

Absenteeism dropped. Morale went up. Recruitment pools widened significantly. Suddenly, parents, carers, and people living outside major cities were in the running for jobs they previously wouldn’t have been able to apply for.

Employers got to hear feedback like:

“As a working mum of two under five, flexible hours mean I can do the school run and still exceed my monthly call targets – I’ve actually increased my CSAT score by 12% since going remote.”
“As a carer for my elderly father, flexible working has been life-changing. I’ve had zero sick days this year and maintained 100% adherence to my shift schedule.”
“I live in a rural village with limited job opportunities – remote working opened a whole new career path for me. My quality scores are consistently above 95%.”
“Flexible scheduling allowed me to return to work after burnout. I now work four shorter shifts a week, and my first-call resolution rate is the highest on my team.”

Yet now, many contact centres are edging backwards.

This rollback is subtle but significant, harsh and cutting, and it raises the question: if flexible working worked, why is it being dialed down?

Well, some are mandating a return to on-site work – citing data security concerns, performance management difficulties, or simply “team culture”. And while these seem valid on the surface, they exude an aura of control and inconvenience for employees that they have spent around five years no longer being accustomed to.

The Truth About Flexible Working (The Pros and Cons)

So, let’s talk about it: what are the pros and cons of flexible working, exactly? Because there are both! What it really comes down to is where your culture and values lie.

The Pros

A better reputation – Being known as a flexible employer attracts stronger candidates and positions a contact centre as progressive. In an industry with notoriously high churn, that reputation can be a lifeline.
Productivity increases – Most studies show that productivity doesn’t drop with flexible working – in fact, it often increases, especially when workers feel trusted and supported – so any fears on this level are outdated.
Happier customers – Content, empowered agents deliver better service. They’re more likely to go the extra mile when they’re not burnt out or distracted by life stressors that a rigid schedule worsens.
Wider talent pools – With flexibility, centres can hire people who couldn’t physically commute or work rigid hours. That includes parents, carers, students, neurodivergent candidates, and those with disabilities.
Lower absenteeism and higher morale – Workers with more control over their schedules often report higher satisfaction – and are less likely to take unnecessary sick days.
Improved retention – With burnout being a major cause of attrition, flexibility can help agents stay in roles longer. (This has the added benefit of lowering year-round recruitment costs.)
Cost savings on office space – Remote or hybrid models can reduce the need for large office spaces and overheads.

The Cons

Data security risks – Handling sensitive customer information remotely requires strong cybersecurity measures, and not every organization is equipped to maintain that standard. That, however, would be something to look at regarding general operations rather than flexible working itself.
Team cohesion – It’s harder to build camaraderie, culture, and collaboration when people are scattered – especially in environments that rely heavily on call targets, gamification within teams, and customer satisfaction scores.
Tech investment – True flexible working needs investment in cloud-based systems, remote access solutions, and training – which can be a barrier for smaller operations.

Overall, the benefits of flexible working often outweigh the drawbacks – particularly for forward-thinking organizations who approach it with creativity and structure.

Yet the Debate Continues…

Despite all the data and lived experiences showing the value of flexible work, many organizations remain hesitant. Why?

Part of it is habit. Pre-pandemic structures had decades to become embedded. For many senior leaders, in-person work is what they know, trust, and feel in control of.

Another part is performance management. Contact centres often operate on razor-thin margins. One bad interaction can cost a customer or damage a brand. For some, that makes trust a hard sell.

But perhaps most importantly, flexibility is still being viewed as a concession, rather than a strategic advantage.

Until that shifts, we’ll continue to see hesitancy and inconsistency.

How to Strike the Right Balance with Flexible Working

So how do you embrace flexible working, so everyone wins?

The key is to make sure flexibility is baked in, rather than simply a reaction to individual agent requests:

Invest in Good Tech

From secure VPNs to smart scheduling tools, the right tech makes flexibility easier for everyone.

It also reassures leadership that performance can still be monitored – just differently.

Train all Managers on How to Lead with Flexibility

It’s not just about systems – it’s about mindset.

Everyone from your Team Leaders to Operations Managers need to feel confident leading distributed teams. That means upskilling in communication, performance coaching, and trust-based leadership.

Managers also need to know how to handle last minute time off requests, for advice on this, read our article: The Best Ways to Deal With Last-Minute Time-Off Requests

Normalize the Conversation

Encourage open dialogue about what people need to thrive.

Make it safe to ask, without fear of judgement or retaliation.

Be Honest When Flexibility Just Isn’t Possible

If requests do need to be turned down, give clear, documented reasons and offer alternatives.

Agents are far more accepting when they feel heard and understood.

★★★★★

Flexible Working Puts You Ahead of the Game

The truth is, flexible working should be a staple. But in workplaces like contact centres where structure, process, and high performance are non-negotiable – it’s at risk of slipping into luxury status once more.

That doesn’t have to be the case.

Leaders that embrace flexibility as a core part of their culture will find themselves ahead. Not just in recruitment, but in resilience, reputation, and most likely results.

It shows innovation, and a willingness to move with the times and empathize with the ever-growing demands of daily life. And if KPIs can still be met, most will thank you for it!

For more information and advice on flexible working in the contact centre, read these articles next: