ENGINEERING
PICTURE: TIM WALLACE
FLEXIBILITY THAT WORKS
Instructions – third-year apprentice Matthew Brownlee, left, with team leader Robbie Connor.
New ways of working are transforming the culture at Darchem
After more than 70 years in business, world-leading engineering design and manufacturing company Darchem continues to evolve. It’ s not just about what the company makes, but how it works.
It started with a clear goal. Darchem wanted to build a more inclusive environment. Through conversations with its teams, it became clear that flexibility wasn’ t just a perk, it was something people truly valued. That’ s not just because it made things easier, but because it had a real impact on wellbeing and how people felt about coming to work. As a manufacturing business, working at home isn’ t something Darchem can offer to everyone – they needed to think differently.
The trial In January 2024, Darchem launched a three-month trial of a flexible working package. It included flexitime for officebased employees, the option to take TOIL
( time off in lieu) instead of paid overtime and a compressed Monday to Thursday week for shop floor teams.
The flexitime rules were simple. Everyone still worked the same number of hours, but with more choice about when those hours were worked. Core hours remained in place to help teams stay connected and make sure customer needs were still being met.
The firm had all the concerns you’ d expect, such as could the business run just as efficiently? Would everyone still feel connected as a business?
To help manage these potential issues, key data such as absence and turnover was tracked throughout the trial. Managers also asked for regular feedback from employees to see if any adjustments were required.
What we found The results were better than expected. > Unplanned absences dropped by more than 50 %.
> Employee turnover reduced by almost 20 %.
> People said they felt more in control of their time and found it easier to balance work with life outside work.
> Managers noticed that teams were more engaged and that the overall atmosphere had improved. In short, giving people more flexibility helped them feel better at work, with no detrimental impact on performance.
Flexible Fridays Because the trial went so well, Darchem decided to build on it. At the end of the three months, it removed the core hours on Fridays for all employees. This provided people with the option to work a four-day week if it was agreed in advance with their manager.
It didn’ t become a rule for everyone, and that’ s important. Not everyone wants to squeeze five days into four. What Darchem wanted was real flexibility – something that works for both employees and the business.
106 | Tees Business