Men are still not taking advantage of the right to request flexible working
options – even though the legal right to request them has been in operation for
a whole year.
An IRS study of 69 organisations shows that despite the flexible working
rights being put in place for the benefits of all parents, women still make up
the majority opting for flexible working arrangements.
However, the introduction of the law has had an impact. Nearly half the
respondents introduced flexible working in response to the legislation, and of
the 72 per cent that did have flexible working policies, the majority have
updated them to meet the statutory requirements.
Nearly seven out of 10 respondents said they have had at least one
application for flexible working in the past year. Nearly three out of four
expect to see more applications in the future, with part-time work still
expected to be the most popular choice. www.irsemploymentreview.com,
020 8686 9141
