Make most of talent with flexible working

Your news story ‘Flexible working laws will not be extended to all employees (Personnel Today, 13 September) makes for interesting reading, though it sadly underlines how little business has moved forward in achieving flexibility. However, the future success of businesses will depend on their ability to flex and change – practically, culturally and attitudinally.

The key to all of this is how we interpret the notion of ‘flexible working’, for we miss the point if we regard it as just ‘part-time working’ or the way hours are worked. Rather, it is about a whole way of thinking requiring the re-evaluation of how people can work and how we can create a flexible environment that enables them to contribute their best.

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If only we can get away from the notion of ‘full-timers’ and ‘part-timers’ and consider all staff as ‘flexible workers’ who have varying needs and offer varying talents. Then we will be neither struck by under-utilised resources on the one hand, or ‘burn-out’ from long-hours working by others on the other.

Jacqueline Gascoyne
Principle consultant
Berkshire Consultancy