FLEXIBLE WORKING
Proposals to delay extension of flexible working legislation
Media reports suggest that Lord Mandelson, the business secretary, has ordered a delay in the extension of the right to request flexible working to parents of older children.
But a Cabinet Office spokeswoman said: "The government is determined to do all it can to help both families and employers in these tough economic times. The business benefits of flexible working are well documented. It can give both employers and employees mutual benefits, helping to keep businesses profitable and people in work. But it is only right that the government looks afresh at forthcoming regulations in light of the economic downturn. Absolutely no decisions have yet been made."
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CIPD viewpoint
Jackie Orme, Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, said:
“These reports send out completely the wrong message. They assume that flexible working is a burden on business, and the kind of charitable extra that can be cut back in tougher times. The reality is that flexible working can deliver competitive advantage by improving employee engagement and attracting talented people to organisations that otherwise might remain outside the workforce.
“The existing right to request flexible working is a model example of light-touch regulation that has helped to change attitudes without causing difficulties for businesses. Our research shows that many firms, large and small, are going well beyond the existing regulations in any case – extending flexible working to many more employees than required by law. They recognise the positive impact flexible working policies have on their businesses. But the message sent out by a delay to ‘reduce burdens’ on business will damage efforts to make the substantial business case for flexible working.
“Our research shows that part-time and flexible workers are happier, more engaged with their work, and therefore more likely to perform better and be more productive. This is exactly what hard pressed employers need in tougher times.
“These proposals are also spectacularly ill-timed for hardworking families struggling to balance work and family responsibilities, and plan budgets that include substantial childcare costs.”
CBI viewpoint
Katja Hall, CBI Director of Employment Policy, said:
“We welcome the government’s decision to look again at new employment rules such as extending the right to request flexible working. Business has accepted the extension as a long-term aim, but in the short-term it is not right to be putting extra burdens on businesses in the current economic climate. We need to be doing all we can to help them.”
Equality and Human Rights Commission viewpoint
Nicola Brewer, Chief Executive of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said:
“In tough times, business needs all the support it can get - and keeping businesses going keeps people in jobs. Companies will be looking to make the most productive and flexible use of their workforce. Genuinely flexible working - working smarter, often through informally agreed small changes to the organisation of work, not rigid, inflexible patterns - is part of the solution, not part of the problem. Flexibility provides business opportunities to deal with turbulent times.
“The Equality and Human Rights Commission is disappointed to see the old fashioned argument being made that flexibility has to be a burden, instead of a potential way to increase productivity in Britain. It need not be a business cost. It can be a business opportunity."
TUC viewpoint
Brendan Barber, TUC General Secretary, said:
“We find these reports hard to believe. Postponing a simple right to request flexible working would not save a single job in the small business sector. If such a request harms the business, the owner can say no. This would be an astonishingly irrelevant response to the severe economic downturn that we face and, in addition, would run the risk of sending a message to working parents that the government is not on their side.”