What makes a good boss? The judges of the recent Parents At Work/Lloyds TSB Best Boss competition compiled the following tips on managing flexible working from conversations with bosses nominated for Britain’s Best Boss 2003.

1. Put your trust in people: be as open as possible and be prepared to take risks sometimes.

2. Treat people as individuals: get to know them and be open to listening to their concerns as well as their ideas.

3. Deal with individual concerns and disciplinary issues promptly - the whole team will respect you for this.

4. Set objectives that have clear outcomes and keep careful records if you have any concerns about an individual’s ability to manage flexible working effectively. If they fail to deliver, then you are justified in refusing another request until they demonstrate their capabilities.

5. It’s OK to say ‘no’ to flexible working sometimes, for example, if there are issues around performance or there is a genuinely negative impact on operational needs.

6. Make sure your communications are effective and hold regular team meetings.

7. Treat people as you would want to be treated – think back to your own experiences, both positive and negative, of managers that have supervised you.

8. Keep people fresh and motivated by promoting training and development opportunities.

9. Remember to give credit where it is due and celebrate successes. Hold regular individual reviews.

10. Delegate responsibility – not always easy at first, but by putting your trust in people, they will become more engaged in the work. Your task will become easier, freeing you up to get on with the big picture stuff.