Flexible working still not fully supported by UK employers, research reveals

Despite making some serious progress over the past few years, UK employers still don't fully support flexible working, recent research has been able to suggest.

The survey of over 2,000 employees conducted by Tiger Recruitment has found that a third of UK workers questioned (32%) aren't happy with the flexible working options available to them.

In fact, about a third have the option of home or remote working — a seven percentage point drop since last year — while only one in five (22%) are offered the option of flexi-time, and even fewer have access to informal flexible working (19%) or the opportunity to go part-time (18%).

The findings also indicate that flexible working isn't being offered fairly across genders, with women more likely to have access to home or remote working (36% vs. 17%), informal flexible working (21% vs. 13%) and part-time working (20% vs. 11%), than their male colleagues.

Studies have shown the numerous benefits of offering flexibility to employees, including increased engagement, motivation, productivity and loyalty, as well as improved wellbeing and reduced time off sick. Flexible working options can also aid organisations in attracting talent, with over two thirds of employees (68%) saying that work-life balance, including flexible working, was important in attracting them to their current role.

Tensor Time and Attendance System offers extensive options for the management of flexible working hours

Tensor plc supplies an extensive range of workforce management solutions that cater for all the requirements of the modern workplace, including flexible working.

The system can supply working rules for a variety of purposes, from simple determination of overtime by the number of daily hours worked, to the more complex payment of overtime hours adjusted when periodic targets are not met. The system also contains special rules to accommodate the formal flexitime contracts worked by many public sector employees. Workers paid on an annual contract basis can receive reports stating how many contracted hours they have yet to work.

Additionally, our top-range WinTA suite features an On-line Self Service module that allows staff to clock IN or OUT, check hours, request leave + other functions via internet, mobile or other communications.

Furthermore, with the Telephone Clocking module, staff can call in from remote locations to clock IN or OUT or review their flexitime balance or remaining holiday entitlement. After entry of their pass code, an automated, spoken menu guides employees to the option they require. If you'd like to find out more about the range of workforce management and Time and Attendance solutions supplied by Tensor and just how we can help your company implement thorough and reliable flexible working arrangements, just contact us or Book a Demo.