The number of black and disabled workers looking for flexible employment reached record levels last year, according to a new analysis.
Research by the future of work platform Flexa revealed that among those seeking flexible roles, the percentage of black, African and Caribbean people doing so nearly tripled – rising from 5% in January 2024 to 14% by December 2024, and the highest percentage since the study started collating data in 2020.
Its latest Work Index also highlighted a 50% rise in the number of people with disabilities and/or health conditions looking for flexible positions last year, with demand peaking at 19% in August and November.
The analysis of more than 60,000 jobseekers and 25,000 job advertisements reviewed people’s preferences around working culture and environment when looking for new roles.
Flexible working demand
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It showed demand outstripped supply for fully remote roles. Those wanting to be home-based increased by 10% over the year, with nearly two in three (64%) of those polled wanting to work from home full-time. By comparison, only 4% of positions advertised in 2024 offered this.
The number of people wanting fully flexible hours also rose, with more than one in four (27%) preferring jobs that allowed the option to choose their own start and finish times.
According to the analysis, supply overtook demand for this towards the end of the year, with more than half (56%) of job advertisements promoting fully flexible hours in October 2024 and more than one in three (35%) doing so in December 2024.
Workers also showed they valued employers offering mental health support, with a third of all workers preferring roles that offered this.
Shorter working weeks were also popular, with 45% of all jobseekers preferring those offering four-day options in 2024.
Molly Johnson-Jones, CEO and co-founder of Flexa, said: “Inflated wages are a sign of companies’ willingness to compete for top performers. But it’s not enough. Where companies are not willing or able to offer the level of remote work that candidates want, they will have to find different ways to compensate top talent in 2025.
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“The good news is that we’re seeing increasingly diverse talent looking for different kinds of benefits. There is more demand than ever for jobs offering different ways of working amongst those with disabilities and health conditions. And, across the board, demand for mental health support is huge. Both sides will win when companies can answer to this demand. Diverse flexibility and benefits offerings are key to attracting and supporting talent with a range of needs.”
