NHS Staff Survey 2025: flexible working overview
The general picture of the flexible working scores remains stable compared to 2024 and highlights areas for continued improvements.
The we work flexibly score has shown slight movements but not enough to represent notable increase, but the improvements do suggest positive changes in flexible working. The overall indicator for flexible working includes questions on work-life balance, flexible working opportunities available to the workforce and feeling able to approach their line manager to talk openly about flexible working.
Organisations are encouraged to look at trends in individual questions to benchmark their progress, celebrate success and identify areas of improvement.
Flexible working trends
There has been movement to 71.75 per cent of staff who say they can approach their immediate manager to talk openly about flexible working. This is an increase on last year, and a 4.82 per cent increase since 2021. This is a positive indication of continued improvements within organisations to create a culture that encourages flexible working conversations, and line managers are supporting this.
While more than seven in ten staff agree that they can approach their manager to talk openly about flexible working, fewer than six in ten say they achieve a good balance between their work life and home life. There is also a 22 per cent difference between staff groups who say they achieve a good balance between their work life and their home life.
Satisfaction around the opportunities staff have for flexible working patterns remains a stable score and has for the past three years. The score has decreased for staff at acute specialist trusts, while acute and acute & community trusts have their highest level of satisfaction for five years.
Further information and resources
The comparative data on flexible working can be accessed via the interactive tool on the NHS England Staff Survey website. The website can also show trends and data by demographic group to help understand the experience of all staff groups.
We offer a wide range of flexible working resources on our website. You might find the following particularly useful:
The flexible working toolkits for individuals and line managers help staff and employers to understand opportunities available and how best to support colleagues.
Our Think Flex First webinar showcases updated flexible working resources and support.
Read our latest case study that details how Imperial College London Healthcare NHS Trust used an innovative flexible working model to combat escalating demand for imaging diagnostic services.
