More than half of all female workers in the UK have already left or are seriously considering escaping the conventional nine-to-five working world in a bid to invent their own working patterns, according to a new report.
The survey of more than 1,000 employees and 500 employers, by global recruitment and HR consultancy Hudson, reveals that 84% of professional women believe the nine-to-five routine of conventional employment is being spurned by their sex.
Preferring to follow a career path that offers flexibility, rather than fit in with the demands of the corporate world, they are planning to set up their own businesses, retrain, work flexibly or pursue a ‘portfolio’ career.
Geraldine Hetherington, chief operating officer of Hudson UK, said: “Many women have tasted corporate life and have decided there are better ways of making their mark on the world than following the traditional working model set before them.
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“It’s not just the demands of family life that are encouraging women to reject working conventions in favour of their own methods; to have more control over where, when and how they work, they are setting up their own businesses, retraining or pursuing a ‘portfolio’ (or freelance) career.”
Main findings:
Almost half (47%) of all female professionals do not expect to be working full time in 2010.
Almost three quarters (73%) of female professionals are disappointed with their career progress to date.
Many employers (70%) recognise that women are much more likely than men to pursue alternative ways of progressing their careers.
Nearly two thirds (64%) of employers admit that if more women left to pursue unconventional career paths, it would have a major impact on their business and their ability to recruit sufficient talent.
