Panache Cruises introduces flexible working hours for parents during school holidays

Panache Cruises has introduced flexible hours to help working parents “get a better balance” during school holidays.

Staff can choose to work from home, work condensed hours, split shifts or weekend work, as appropriate, during school holidays.

The cruise specialist made the change following a consultation process within the company which found childcare over school holidays was “a real pressure point”.

Panache Cruises founder and chief executive James Cole explained the company had “decided to go one step further” than its current hybrid working policy to help colleagues “get a better balance in their life”.

He suggested working parents worrying about childcare during school holidays was widespread, highlighting that the working parents in travel forum, Back In Time For Bed, set up by Panache partnerships director Anna Perrott, found these concerns are prevalent among its 2,000 members.

Cole confirmed the policy would carry forward to the summer holidays and told Aspire’s sister title Travel Weekly: “We have a fantastic team at Panache Cruises and we all work together to ensure we create a working environment that is productive and also leans towards flexibility and life balance.

“Things that we implement that increase flexibility are always well-received albeit we can always do more by listening, consulting and checking in with the team, especially given we are a rapidly growing business where roles, pressures and responsibilities can change very quickly.”

Pictured right to left: James Cole with son Charlie Cole who is an apprentice with the business.