I agree wholeheartedly with Lesley Nash’s viewpoint (Personnel Today, 13 March). Of course, customers expect excellent service and, in practice, ‘don’t care’ if we have childcare issues. She is to be applauded for having the courage to write honestly about the subject in an increasingly politically correct world.
Flexible working does pose many challenges. But one needs only to consider current and projected workforce demographics to understand that a flexible workforce is becoming increasingly necessary as people struggle to find the time to work ‘full-time office hours’, or indeed increasingly refuse to do so in favour of better work-life balance.
To attract, retain and get the most out of the available workforce, employers will increasingly need to make their employees work smarter not harder, and that will have to include creative flexible-working solutions.
Harish S Bhayani, principal, PRM Diversity Consultancy
