New research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has revealed that nearly half of employees do not have flexible working in their current role.
In response, and to promote fairness and inclusion at work, the CIPD is launching a new campaign, #FlexFrom1st, encouraging employers to support flexible working for all.
To reinforce these principles, the Institute is also calling for a change in the law in order to make the right to request flexible working a day-one right for all employees.
The survey of over 2000 employees found that while the current pandemic has driven a huge increase in working from home, 44% of employees have not worked from home at all since the beginning of the crisis.
92% of those employees say that this is because the nature of their job does not allow them to.
Around a fifth (19%) of employees say they work for organisations that do not offer any flexible working arrangements while twice as many (41%) say it is unfair that some people can work from home while others have to continue to attend their place of work and have little flexibility in how they work.
CIPD Chief Executive, Peter Cheese, said: ‘We need a new understanding about what flexible working is and we need employers to embrace flexible working arrangements beyond home working, to give opportunity and choice to all. Employees may not always be able to change where they work, but they should have more choice and a say in when and how they work.’
Those without access to flexible working are around twice as likely to be dissatisfied in their job, compared to those who do, he pointed out.
CIPD research has clearly identified the benefits of flexible working arrangements for employers and employees: from improved wellbeing and work-life balance to greater productivity.
Full details of the “Flex from 1st” campaign can be found here.
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