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Employers recognising value of flexible working
HR News |
22/07/2011
The recession has resulted in more employers recognising the importance of flexible working, it has been claimed.
According to Ben Willmott, senior public policy advisor at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), business leaders and HR staff are changing the way they manage employees in the workplace.
"From the aftermath of the financial crisis, we saw a lot of employers looking at flexible working solutions as a way of keeping people on while reducing working hours until demand recovered," he stated.
"I think that provided a push to get more employers to look at the benefits of flexible working."
Mr Willmott said business decision makers also recognise that demographic changes are beginning to kick in, and the UK has an ageing workforce.
"It's not just about ensuring employers provide flexibility for parents, it's recognising that people of all different ages might benefit from greater flexibility," he stated.
With people increasingly looking to downshift as they get older, Mr Willmott noted that many employees are reducing their hours, working in different ways and in different roles, rather than simply retiring.
"There is recognition that the demographic changes and the impact it has on the labour market will be another push for employers to be more favourable about the possibility of providing flexibility where their needs allow," he noted.
According to the expert, technological developments are also helping to support moves towards greater worker flexibility.
He explained that innovations such as broadband, cloud computing and smartphones are enabling people to work from different locations at different times.
Recent research conducted by the CIPD found that just six in ten employees are satisfied with their current work/life balance.
Just over a third of men agreed that employers support them enough with their work/life balance and 35 per cent of women said they thought this was the case.
Posted by Stephen Wilkinson
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