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Sarah Williams- Gardener, Director of Opportunity Now comments on the extension of flexible working legislation.

“The Government recently announced that from April 2009 the right to request flexible working will be extended to all parents of children aged up to 16 years. It is estimated that an additional 4.5 million parents will benefit from the right. It is worth noting that the law still positions this as 'right to request' and not an absolute right to work flexibly.  
 
Since 2003, the right to request flexible working has been available to employees with more than six months' service in order to care for a child under the age of six (or 18 if the child is disabled). This right was extended to carers of adults in 2007, although certain relationship criteria must be satisfied in order for the employee to be eligible.

In response to this proposed change in legislation Opportunity Now consulted with our advisory board organisations to gauge the effect this will have within their workplaces. It appears that the majority of Opportunity Now employers are already ahead of the law by offering the right to request flexibility to all staff.  Our members have clearly already bought into the business benefits of a flexible working culture.

There are some major demographic and lifestyle issues on the horizon for employers. By 2020 the UK economy will need a further 5 million skilled workers beyond the current 9 million. If you combine this with the fact that Europe will see the number of workers nearing retirement grow by a quarter over the next 25 years, there are issues looming which really need to be addressed now. 16% of employers are already identifying a skills gap in their existing workforce.  The demographic shifts which are taking place are only going to exacerbate the problem and could have real consequences for the way we compete as an economy.

A renewed approach to flexibility could be the answer to many of these demographic and talent challenges.

Those employers who are ahead of  the curve are already seeing that an enlightened approach to the way we design and carry out jobs is the answer.

At the moment we are underutilising valuable talent which already exists in the labour market. There is a lack of quality part time work which means that those who desire or need to work less hours are being forced into jobs where they are not using their skills and abilities.

Technology is now at a point where it can really empower people to work differently in terms of location and time. Our members tend to be the enlightened ones in-terms of progressive people policies, what is now needed is seismic change in cultures and attitudes that allows flexibility to become an integral part of more and more organisation’s DNA rather than a policy that sits on an intranet site.  I strongly believe that work is not a place you go to but a value you deliver.”