Nine out of ten bosses offer their staff some form of
flexible according to a survey by the Industrial Society.
The Industrial Society’s poll of more than 500 HR
professionals reveals that 91 per cent of organisations provide flexible
working for some of their employees, compared with 84 per cent in 1998.
More than a half of firms surveyed say flexible working
practices has helped reduce absenteeism from eight days per worker a year to
six-and-a-half days a year over the last 18 months.
Just under a third of organisations provide flexible working
on an informal basis, with many employers deciding against making it official
because of concerns that it would cause resentment among staff on standard
contracts.
Three quarters of those surveyed feel flexible working makes
good business sense and two thirds think it builds trust, loyalty and
commitment.
Theo Blackwell, Industrial Society policy specialist, said, “Our
survey shows that far from seeing flexible working as burdensome, the vast
majority of employers already recognise the compelling business case in favour
of flexible working.”
By Ben Willmott
