News

November 28, 2014

Firms must do more to support flexible working

Employees are still reluctant to ask employers for flexible working despite the fact that almost nine in ten firms offer some kind of flexible provision.

A YouGov poll of nearly 1300 workers for the CBI has found that men are as reluctant as women to ask employers for flexibility.

Altogether, 26% of respondents said they would be quite uncomfortable asking for flexible working hours and 17% said they would be very uncomfortable.

It also found that 29% of men and 32% of women said it was fairly difficult to balance work with their home life.

The CBI is calling for more businesses to commit to a presumption in favour of flexible working and to introduce meaningful diversity policies.

It is calling for firms to boost flexibility in the workplace by advertising flexible jobs from the outset and by publishing aspirational diversity targets. The CBI is also asking the government to provide more help with childcare costs.

Katja Hall, CBI deputy director-general, said: “A lot of companies offer flexible working but the onus should be on businesses to presume in favour, challenge outdated assumptions and give their employees more confidence to ask about the options.

“Flexibility is not just for parents but for all staff. It can work for everyone including businesses. That’s why we’re calling for businesses to encourage flexibility from the job ad onwards, as well as the government to help families with childcare costs.”

Justine Roberts, ceo of Mumsnet, said: “Mumsnet users consistently tell us that flexible working is the number one priority when it comes to family friendly practices. All the evidence suggests that flexibility at work, and an acknowledgement of the importance of work-life balance, increases productivity among working parents and allows employers to retain talented staff."

There are more details on the CBI’s childcare proposals in its report A better off Britain.

Related resources:

• The law on flexible working GUIDE
• What to do if you receive a request for flexible working ARTICLE
• 10 things you need to know about flexible working rules CHECKLIST