As reports suggest the Government is poised to extend the right to request flexible working to all employees, new research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) reveals that only a tiny minority (4%) of employers have had difficulties complying with the current right to request flexible working since it was introduced nearly 10 years ago.
With 96% of employers providing flexible working arrangement to at least some employees, the research finds that seven out of ten employers report that flexible working supports employee retention, motivation and engagement. Almost two thirds of employers believe flexible working supports their recruitment activities and half believe it has a positive impact on reducing absence as well as on boosting productivity.
However the study shows the type of flexibility commonly used is quite limited. While the use of part-time working (32%), flexitime (25%), home working (20%) and mobile working (14%) is comparatively common, other types of flexible working are hardly used. Just 5% of workers use compressed hours, 2% use term-time working, and 1% job share.
The CIPD is calling on the Government to go ahead with the extension of the right to request flexible working in the Queen’s speech.