Over two-fifths of UK managers are reluctant to hire people who require or demand flexible working.
This is according to KnowYourMoney.co.uk, a UK comparison website, which found that 41 per cent of managers are hesitant to hire people who desire flexible working.
More than half (59 per cent) of managers and directors have seen an increase in employees demanding greater flexibility in their job. Still, 60 per cent have not made any changes to their flexible working policies.
Research also found that 41 per cent of managers do not believe that employees perform their jobs as effectively as they do when they work remotely. As well as 49 per cent of managers feeling as if they have to check in with their staff to make sure they are being productive if they are not working in the office.
This has fed in to 39 per cent of employees believing their employer’s work structures and practices to be outdated, with 42 per cent of them going as far as to say their boss does not care about their mental health.
Nic Redfern, director of KnowYourMoney.co.uk, said:
It’s no longer good enough to offer employees a decent salary and an impressive company name on their CV. Employers must do more to attract and retain top talent, but our research shows that many are failing in this regard.
Today, employees yearn for a healthier work-life balance and benefits that will nurture their mental and physical health. It’s surprising, therefore, so many managers are overlooking the benefits of flexible working.
Working with employees to develop modern flexible working practices, which recognise the needs of both the individual and the business, can bring huge benefits. Not only can this build a healthier and happier workforce, it can also improve the organisation’s productivity.
HRreview conducted a poll asking “Do you feel flexible working has improved your company’s productivity?”
Almost three-quarters (71 per cent) said “yes”, with 17 per cent saying “no” and 12 per cent saying it made “no real difference”. The poll had 214 HR professionals vote in it.
To gather this research KnowYourMoney.co.uk asked the opinion of 2,000 UK employees and 750 managers and directors.
Darius is the editor of HRreview. He has previously worked as a finance reporter for the Daily Express. He studied his journalism masters at Press Association Training and graduated from the University of York with a degree in History.
