The Glassdoor® UK Flexible Working Survey, conducted online by Harris Poll among over 2,000 Great British adults (aged 16+), uncovers the real story behind flexible working, including how many people were aware of the changing rules to flexible working in the UK, how many people intend to submit a request for review on this and how many people work flexibly in the UK already.
Employees who intend to submit a request for flexible working
- Nearly one in five employees (17%) intend to submit – or resubmit an application to request flexible working
- This number rises to nearly a quarter (24%) among those 16-24 years old
- In terms of regions, Wales is the highest, with over a third (34%) of the region intending to submit an application
Awareness of the changing laws in flexible working
- Seventy three percent of GB employees admit they’re unaware of the changing laws. In the East of England, this was as high as 82%, with Yorkshire (at 35%, followed by North West at 34%) as regions that were most aware of the changing law
- Forty five percent of 16-24 year olds were aware of the change, with the lowest age range being 35-44 year olds (21%)
Proportion of employees that work flexibly
- One in two (50%) GB employees (employed full-time / part-time) already work flexibly
- This number rises to 68% for 16-24 year olds, and 59% for those aged 55+
- More females (56%) than males (45%) work flexibly
- Fifty percent of those asked also said that they feel they would work better if working flexibly
- This rises highest in the North East, where 3 in 5 people (60%) work flexibly
Reasons as to why people wouldn’t submit an application
- Seven percent of GB adults in employment who do not intend to submit an application for flexible working feel that submitting an application to request flexible working will reflect badly on them
- Sixteen percent of the 16-24 age group just don’t want to bother their boss / employer
