How flexible working is enabling our colleagues to thrive

Flexibility from day one

We’re committed to flexible working and believe enabling our people to be at their best is a priority. As a leading employer, we recognise the diverse lives of our colleagues and see flexibility as a key enabler that allows them to be at their best. We trust colleagues to work flexibly and choose the most appropriate arrangement, with the support of their manager, to maximise their performance - and anyone can request it from day one of joining E.ON.

Flexible working is central to life at E.ON and over half of our colleagues now have some form of flexible working pattern in place¹, including flexible start times and compressed hours.

Working flexibly can help parents and carers return to and stay in work, through balancing caring responsibilities and maintaining career progression. It’s supporting our approach to gender equality and enables people with long-term health conditions and disabilities to stay in work. Our clear flexible working principles help us to support colleagues with their individual needs, whether that’s caring responsibilities, neurodiversity or mental wellbeing – something which three-quarters (73%) of Brits agree is essential when fostering an inclusive workplace³.

We’re proud to be leading the way and championing the benefits of flexible working for both our colleagues and us as an employer. And our colleagues agree: nine in ten (87%) of them are happy with their flexible ways of working².

Plus, our recent research found that three-quarters (76%) of Brits³ value companies that implement strong workplace policies, such as flexible working options.

“I have been on a part-time flexible working arrangement since I joined E.ON due to a change in family circumstances. My Team Leader was brilliant. I was still new on her team, she listened and showed empathy. My marriage had broken down and my ex left me to look after the children. I needed to collect my children from school and nursery. My Team Leader got my flexible hours set up practically instantly and I can’t thank her enough!” – Manny Sangha, Meter Technician

The role of hybrid working

Hybrid working is one part of our flexible working principles. We recognise the benefits of working flexibly, balanced with the need to connect face-to-face and work together. And hybrid working supports a blend of office/workplace and remote working, giving our colleagues the choice to work however they are most productive.

We’re proud that our hybrid working principles have recently been recognised at the 2024 Personnel Today Awards, where we won the award for Hybrid Working Excellence. We were recognised for the innovative strategies we’ve implemented to harness the full potential of flexible work, highlighting our strong workplace culture, where colleagues feel deeply connected and engaged with our business, even in a hybrid environment.

Family friendly flexibility

Flexible working can go beyond individual benefits and can bring positive change to our colleagues’ families too.

Our approach to flexible working, and our commitment to being a family friendly employer, was a key contributing factor to us being named Family Friendly Employer of the Year at the 2024 Personnel Today Awards. In addition to highlighting our inclusive and supportive approach to flexible working, our progressive policies on maternity, paternity and equal parent leave, and how we proactively support colleagues with caring responsibilities, were highly commended.

“I work full-time 9 days in 10, which means I get to spend every other Friday with my two youngest children and in the school holidays with all three of them. As a family it saves us £150 per week in childcare costs and gives me valuable time with them before they start school. It means that my wife and I can fully share work and childcare.” – Dan Geeson, Operations Manager

With half (50%) of Brits agreeing that supporting families is important for creating a fair and inclusive environment³, we hope to lead the way and inspire other organisations to join us in creating flexibility. Only by organisations up and down the country being committed to flexibility can we truly support working families, as well as all colleagues to manage their personal responsibilities and commitments and bring their best selves to work.  

To find out more about careers at E.ON, visit our careers website.