In our latest Level Up session, we explored one of today’s most pressing workplace topics: managing flexible and hybrid working in 2025. From understanding employment contracts to mental health obligations and generational dynamics, this webinar offered invaluable insights for HR professionals, business leaders, and team managers alike.

If you couldn’t join us live, don’t worry, here’s a round-up of the key insights and practical takeaways from the session. You can also watch a recording of the webinar here and access our Employer Readiness Checklist below.

What We Covered

Our expert panel – Claudia Yorath, Lauren McLaughlin, and Laura Acosta – led an in-depth discussion on how evolving work models are reshaping employment practices, legal responsibilities, and employee expectations.

Return-to-Office Mandates: Legal and Cultural Realities

With a recent study showing that 1 in 3 employees aged 25–34 would consider resigning if forced back into the office full-time, we kicked off the discussion by highlighting how return-to-office mandates have taken different forms post-pandemic, from strict 5-day in-office policies (e.g. Amazon, Dell) to more flexible or voluntary approaches (e.g. Vodafone, Asda).

The legal context was also explored, emphasising that:

  • Employment contracts are key: if they still list an office location, employers may be able to enforce a return, but it is not without legal risk.
  • Custom and practice matters: years of hybrid working could imply a contractual change, even if not written in a contract.
  • Consultation and notice are essential: failing to consult on changes, and failing to have agreement, can lead to legal claims and/or resignations.
Handling Flexible Working Requests

The panel also examined both formal and informal requests for flexibility, particularly around childcare and parental responsibilities.

Real-world examples included:

  • A mother returning from maternity leave needing a temporary 3-month adjustment due to childcare limitations.
  • A request for compressed hours that was declined for business reasons but negotiated into a mutually agreeable unpaid working pattern.

The legal position was also outlined, including:

  • Employees now have the statutory right to request flexible working from day one of employment.
  • There are specific rules an employee must follow to be covered by the statutory scheme.
  • There are 8 statutory reasons an employer can decline a request under the scheme, but it must be handled reasonably, fairly, and within a 2-month window.
  • All flexible working requests, formal or informal, or via the statutory process, should be routed through a consistent internal process to reduce legal and reputational risks.
Supporting Mental Health and Wellbeing in a Hybrid World

The HSE reports that work-related stress accounts for 50% of all employee work related ill health, and employers have a legal duty of care to act. With this in mind, the panel considered the cultural and wellbeing aspects of flexible work, including:

  • The role of leadership in modelling healthy behaviours.
  • The need for clear communication, check-ins, and inclusive practices to support team cohesion.
  • The importance of policies, training, and infrastructure for mental health, including Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) and Occupational Health (OH) assessments.

Crucially, the legal obligations for employers under health and safety law were also covered, with employers required to:

  • Carry out and record stress and general health related risk assessments.
  • Make reasonable adjustments, especially where long-term health conditions (e.g. long COVID) are involved.
Managing a Multi-Generational Workforce

The panel explored growing generational divides, for example:

  • Gen Z strongly favour hybrid and remote models and expect flexibility as standard.
  • Millennials (often in leadership roles) may favour more traditional working patterns.

Bridging this divide means adapting management approaches, ensuring open dialogue, and accepting that expectations are evolving rapidly.

With legal frameworks evolving, employee expectations shifting, and workplace wellbeing under the spotlight, our latest Level Up webinar tackled one of the most urgent challenges facing employers today: how to futureproof your business and its workforce in the era of flexible and hybrid working.

Sorry you missed it? Watch the webinar recording for deeper insights and real-world examples.

You can also complete our Employer Readiness Checklist to assess your current approach to flexible and hybrid working, identify gaps, and plan your next steps. Choose the format that works best for you:

If you have any questions, need support in any of the areas covered, or wish to arrange a complimentary Policy Review Consultation to identify areas of improvement, we’d really like to hear from you. You can reach out via hello@weareloch.com.