Flexible working – why isn’t change happening?

Our Spotlight Supper sponsor Ten2Two bust common myths about flexible working. 

Why aren’t more people adopting flexible working since 2014 legislation came in to help them do just that? Well, this is a no brainer for us. Employers simply aren’t making it easy for employees to work in the way they want to.

As a well-established flexible recruitment agency, we know that companies might talk about offering flexibility, but the reality isn’t always the case. It seems that while flexibility is the buzzword internally, we’re not acting on it externally by recruiting flexibly. So, what’s going on?

Myth 1 – flexibility is hard to implement

It takes time to consider how a full-time role might be worked more flexibly – say by turning it into a job share for example. A good manager needs to work out how the job description might alter and how it could affect their other employees.

But it doesn’t take forever.

Granted, time and thought are required. But what’s a little time now that could pay dividends for the overall company or organisation later? And the trade-off is well worth it in terms of boosting workplace happiness, improving diversity and talent retention as well as reducing staff turnover and absenteeism. The benefits go on…

Myth 2 – flexibility impacts the wider business

Here at Ten2Two, we offer employers advice on how to plan job shares or to help employees work flexibly so it doesn’t impact the wider business. If anything, flexible workers tend to be more productive and put in discretionary effort on a far greater scale.

In terms of flexible recruitment, we aren’t seeing any more job adverts offering flexibility at the outset. If you’d like to work with us to help implement best practice around remote working or flexible working, please contact Emma@Ten2Two.org today.

Thanks to Emma Cleary for writing this blog. 

If you want to contribute to the Chamber blog, contact us on hannah@brightonchamber.co.uk