Government minister calls for UK businesses to make flexible working standard

A government minister has appealed to businesses across the country to make the offer of flexible working for its employees standard.

Minister for Women & Equalities Liz Truss has stated that it is beneficial to both employers and employees to normalise flexible working.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, companies across the country and the world have pivoted to offer remote working to enable employees to safely continue to work while reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

The news comes as new research, published today by the Government-backed Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) and jobs website Indeed, has shown that offering flexible working arrangements increases job applications by 30 per cent.

Minister for Women & Equalities, Liz Truss, commented: “Our commitment to flexible working is based on our desire to open up employment opportunities to people regardless of their sex or location.

“The shift for many people to work from home during the pandemic has changed mindsets and now is a chance to seize the opportunity of making flexible working the norm, rather than something employees have to specially request.

“The fact is that for many jobs there are invisible restrictions that hold people back – like the need to live in high-cost accommodation close to the centre of cities or maintain working arrangements that are very hard to combine with family or other responsibilities.

“We now have the chance to break down these barriers and boost opportunities for everyone.”

Deepa Somasundari, senior director of strategic projects at the global job site Indeed, added: “We know people value flexible work opportunities and as a result of the pandemic, there is increasing expectation that jobs are designed with this in mind.

“For employers, this means reconsidering the notion that flexible work is a benefit and instead acknowledging it as a better way of working that could positively impact the lives of women and therefore society as a whole.”