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Stuart Gentle Publisher at Onrec

Male workers don’t see the benefit in flexible working according to research from Kelly Services

Far more female workers in the UK (51 percent) indicated that flexible work arrangements would make an organisation an attractive employer/drive a decision to accept one job over another compared to their male counterparts (36 percent) according to a recent survey* conducted by global workforce solutions company Kelly Services

Far more female workers in the UK (51 percent) indicated that flexible work arrangements would make an organisation an attractive employer/drive a decision to accept one job over another compared to their male counterparts (36 percent) according to a recent survey* conducted by global workforce solutions company Kelly Services®.

As flexible working opens up as an option this week to an extra 20 million UK workers, the research found significantly more female workers in the UK (20 percent) cited flexible work arrangements as a reason likely to cause them to leave their employer compared to male workers (15 percent).

The research also found far more female workers in the UK (62 percent) cited that their ideal work environment would include flexible work arrangements compared to their male counterparts (49 percent).

Generational differences also exist.  According to Kelly’s research, significantly more Generation X workers (born 1965-1979) in the UK (59 percent) indicated their ideal work environment would include flexible work arrangements compared to other generations (50 percent Generation Y (born 1980-1995), 56 percent Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964)). 

Gary Jones, Managing Director, UK and Ireland for Kelly Services said:

“It is of course great news that an extra 20 million UK workers have been granted the right to request flexible working. Many businesses have this to their workforce for years, irrespective of childcare needs. Yet it remains to be seen the extent to which employers will accommodate the requests for flexible working, and how much the new right will be taken up by male workers, many of whom have always regarded flexible working as part of a routine centered on childcare. Many of those businesses which have embraced flexible working attest to the benefits it brings, including an increase in staff retention and increase in productivity.”