Read: Flexible working is good for business

The ability to respond agilely to unforeseen situations is crucial to business success. We saw this in the first few months of the pandemic when organisations were forced to change their ways of working, not just to maintain their operations but to look after their colleagues and communities. 

As we recover from the impact of COVID-19, the capacity to adapt to the individual needs of employees remains fundamental to an organisation’s success. Unfortunately, the important option of flexible working is still elusive for many women in the UK, and those that do work flexibly often face discrimination.

A new survey of almost 13,000 mothers by the campaign group, Mother Pukka, and the TUC found that almost half of them still do not get the flexibility they would like at work and one in two had had a request for flexible working turned down or only partly accepted by their employer. 

The survey also found that 86% of women with a flexible work pattern said they had faced discrimination and disadvantage at work while 42% said they feared discrimination if they asked about flexible working in a job interview. Two in five said they were worried about their employer’s reaction if they were to ask about flexibility. 

That inequality of opportunity is why the recent announcement by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) that it is consulting on proposals to give every employee the right to request flexible working is such welcome news. It looks at a range of flexible working methods including job-sharing, flexitime and condensed and staggered hours which will be available to all staff, regardless of length of service. It aims to develop a framework that will provide a balance between the needs of employers and employees. It will also encourage productive conversations so that even when a business’s circumstances mean flexible working is not possible, it should consider what alternatives it may be able to offer. 

The option to work flexibly is good for business and good for employees. A CBI survey found that 99% of all businesses believed that a flexible workforce is vital or important to competitiveness and the prospects for business and job creation. Many of the organisations partnering with the Purpose Coalition have already embedded it in their business culture, recognising that it helps them to attract and retain the best talent. In turn, employees feel empowered and motivated to work for that company, knowing that they will be able to balance work and personal commitments without having to give up the chance to progress and develop within the company. There is also an impact on mental health, with the ability to work flexibly undoubtedly having an effect on how valued and included employees feel in their workplace. 

The pandemic has brought new ways of working for us all. We have found that many of these have improved our working lives, giving us a better sense of control over our work and life balance. The option of flexible working can make a huge difference in unlocking opportunity, especially for those who face the biggest barriers to work. Businesses which fail to acknowledge that will miss out on the best talent to those that do.  

Rt Hon Lord Walney, UK gornment’s independent adviser on Political Violence and Disruption in the House of Lords.