flexibility

"Respondents were clear about what employers could be doing to help them get back into the workplace. We should now be working to incorporate these things into our business plans to make the best use of our workforce in the long term.”

Companies that understand what motivates employees are sure to have a productive January and beyond.

The potential benefits of flexible working are being missed because of unsupportive manager attitudes, limited available options and the negative assumptions of some employees about flexible working.

The privately funded company has added more than 1,500 customers in the last 12 months, meaning it has more than 14,000 customers using The Access Group’s products.

The main feature of those changing expectations is around flexible working, with 98 per cent of respondents saying employees now expect more flexible working hours, while 89 per cent said they expect agile/home working to be available.

Just 12 per cent of UK employees reported that flexible working is encouraged by their organisation.

6 in 10 people (60 per cent) want to work from home for some of their working week

The proportion of single parents who are finding new jobs either from unemployment or from inactivity has fallen in the last five years, which suggests an opportunity for employers to tap more into this pool.

It’s time for more employers to consider offering their staff the option of flexitime or working from home.

A report published by the Harvard Business Review also suggested that remote or home working could increase productivity, reduce the cost to employers of office space and reduce the impact of commuting on the environment.