New ways of working could benefit the UK’s 29 million workers

Trailblazing employers are using new ways of working to generate profit, benefit staff and respond to customer needs. But old-fashioned thinking means the majority of Britain’s workforce are missing out.Despite the growth in flexible working, the UK is lagging behind its European competitors. Only 20% of UK employers offer tele-working, one of the most popular and cost-effective forms of flexible working, compared to around 40% in Germany, Sweden and Denmark. And while flexi-time is available in around 90% of German and Swedish companies, just 48% of UK companies offer it according to a new report from the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC). Half of the working population, 52% of men and 48% of women, want to work more flexibly. And 6.5 million people could be using their skills more effectively if more flexible working was available.

From Canary Wharf to the factory floor, the EOC’s investigation into transforming work has uncovered innovative new ways of working. But for the majority of people, the reality of work is still fixed hours at a set place of work, which no longer fits the way they lead their lives. Opportunities for flexible working are restricted to relatively few people. And for many parents and carers, access to flexible working can come with poor pay and career prospects.
 
Working with employers that have already put innovative working into practice, the EOC has created new models that work for all of the UK's 29 million workers. No matter what the nature of your job or the nature of your business, there is a model of flexibility that’s right for everyone:
 Timelords – can largely control their hours and location of work, for example writers and researchers. The EOC estimates there could be up to 4 million timelords across the UK.
 Shift-shapers - have set hours and a fixed location, but can flex shift patterns, for example shop workers and nurses. There could be up to 17 million shift-shapers.
 Time-stretchers - have a set place of work, but can control the hours they work, for example travel agents and decorators. There could be up to 7 million time-stretchers.
 Remote-controllers - have set hours but can control where they work, for example call centre staff. There could be up to 1 million remote controllers.
Jenny Watson, Chair of the EOC said,
“Everyone can benefit from new a culture of flexible work. Trailblazing employers are offering a wide range of work options, such as tele-working, shift-swapping and interim management. In return, they are reporting increased productivity, improved staff engagement, and are better placed to deal with customer needs. But the reality for the majority of British workers is still presenteeism and long hours. The time has now come for this innovation to spread to across the workforce to reach the UK's 29 million workers.
 
"Our report lays down the social and economic imperative for a new culture of flexibility at work. But flexible working is still too often seen as just a concession for parents and carers, and comes at the cost of poor pay and prospects. Extending the right to request flexible working to everyone is a crucial step towards breaking this stigma and making a new culture at work a reality.
 
"But flexibility is not only an issue for employers. Our transport system, technology - even planning and housing policy - all have an impact on whether or not people can access flexibility at work. So this issue will need to remain high on the new Prime Minister's agenda in the months to come."
 
The EOC wants to see decisive action from government to catch up and make innovative flexible working practices a reality for everybody, including;
- Extending the right to request flexible working to all workers
- Tax incentives for small and medium sized businesses to open up new ways of working