[Scotland] Flexible working could boost job creation

New research from a consultancy and training charity has revealed that more flexible attitudes to employment could provide work for more than 25,000 unemployed adults in Scotland, TFN reports.

Flexibility Works surveyed 208 unemployed Scottish adults and found that nearly three in 10 (28 per cent) believe a role with flexible working would make the difference in enabling them to secure a job.

Conversely, nearly half (48 per cent) of respondents have been put off applying for roles because no flexibility was mentioned in the job advert. 

The charity is reportedly encouraging employers to explore greater flexibility for their workers and to be more transparent about existing flexible working opportunities in job adverts and during the recruitment process.

Leveraging flexible working in recruitment benefits employers as well, by attracting candidates from a wider pool of talent. 

Flexibility Works is calling on the Scottish Government to give better support to employers to explore new ways of working, and to be bolder in setting expectations for employers, as part of measures to reduce economic inactivity and poverty. 

Nikki Slowey - co-founder and director at Flexibility Works - said, “For many people, flexible working isn’t just a perk, it’s absolutely essential in order to work at all. And yet, even with the rise in flexible working due to the pandemic, there are still not enough flexible jobs for those who need them.

“More frustratingly, many employers don’t mention existing flexible working when they’re recruiting, making it even harder for people to find the flexibility they need, and harder for companies to fill vacant roles. 

“We’re encouraging employers to promote the flexible working they already have, and to explore where they can create flexibility when designing and advertising jobs. All the evidence shows this is hugely beneficial for employers too by attracting more quality candidates from wider talent pools. 

“There’s a greater role for the Scottish Government too, if we’re serious about tackling child poverty and rising economic inactivity.

“Holyrood can’t set new employment laws, but as a major funder, contract commissioner and leader of national economic projects, the government should be more proactive in influencing business leaders to embrace flexible working, and it should provide more support to employers that want to change but don’t have the resource and internal expertise to do so.”

The Scottish Government reportedly part-funded the research. 

Business and employment minister Richard Lochhead said, “I welcome these insights in support of our policy aims to tackle economic inactivity and improve the working lives of people in Scotland. 

“With the limited powers at our disposal, the Scottish Government has supported flexible, family-friendly working from day one of employment where we can. Through initiatives like our Parental Employability Support offer, we’re helping more parents move into work, progress in their careers and boost their household incomes. 

“We are also committed to funding pilot projects over the course of 2025-26 to help employers implement flexible working, improve recruitment practices to create a more diverse workforce and offer enhanced support for disabled employees.”

Flexibility Works’s report Flex for Life 2025: Are we nearly there yet?! specifically explores parents’ experiences of flexible working and their efforts to find flexible jobs. Parents are a key group for the Scottish Government as it pursues its priority to reduce child poverty. 

The report shows that too many parents remain locked out of work because they cannot access the flexibility they need. The biggest barrier to work, cited by 42 per cent of all unemployed parents, was a lack of flexibility around childcare.

The report offers a series of recommendations for the Scottish Government, including funding activities to support employers in embedding flexible working, especially in low-paid and frontline sectors, and embedding flexible working in plans for business growth and major initiatives such as the development of Great British Energy.

Source: TFN

(Link and quotes via original reporting)

New research from a consultancy and training charity has revealed that more flexible attitudes to employment could provide work for more than 25,000 unemployed adults in Scotland, TFN reports.

Flexibility Works surveyed 208 unemployed Scottish adults and found that nearly three in 10 (28 per cent) believe a role with flexible working would make the difference in enabling them to secure a job.

Conversely, nearly half (48 per cent) of respondents have been put off applying for roles because no flexibility was mentioned in the job advert. 

The charity is reportedly encouraging employers to explore greater flexibility for their workers and to be more transparent about existing flexible working opportunities in job adverts and during the recruitment process.

Leveraging flexible working in recruitment benefits employers as well, by attracting candidates from a wider pool of talent. 

Flexibility Works is calling on the Scottish Government to give better support to employers to explore new ways of working, and to be bolder in setting expectations for employers, as part of measures to reduce economic inactivity and poverty. 

Nikki Slowey - co-founder and director at Flexibility Works - said, “For many people, flexible working isn’t just a perk, it’s absolutely essential in order to work at all. And yet, even with the rise in flexible working due to the pandemic, there are still not enough flexible jobs for those who need them.

“More frustratingly, many employers don’t mention existing flexible working when they’re recruiting, making it even harder for people to find the flexibility they need, and harder for companies to fill vacant roles. 

“We’re encouraging employers to promote the flexible working they already have, and to explore where they can create flexibility when designing and advertising jobs. All the evidence shows this is hugely beneficial for employers too by attracting more quality candidates from wider talent pools. 

“There’s a greater role for the Scottish Government too, if we’re serious about tackling child poverty and rising economic inactivity.

“Holyrood can’t set new employment laws, but as a major funder, contract commissioner and leader of national economic projects, the government should be more proactive in influencing business leaders to embrace flexible working, and it should provide more support to employers that want to change but don’t have the resource and internal expertise to do so.”

The Scottish Government reportedly part-funded the research. 

Business and employment minister Richard Lochhead said, “I welcome these insights in support of our policy aims to tackle economic inactivity and improve the working lives of people in Scotland. 

“With the limited powers at our disposal, the Scottish Government has supported flexible, family-friendly working from day one of employment where we can. Through initiatives like our Parental Employability Support offer, we’re helping more parents move into work, progress in their careers and boost their household incomes. 

“We are also committed to funding pilot projects over the course of 2025-26 to help employers implement flexible working, improve recruitment practices to create a more diverse workforce and offer enhanced support for disabled employees.”

Flexibility Works’s report Flex for Life 2025: Are we nearly there yet?! specifically explores parents’ experiences of flexible working and their efforts to find flexible jobs. Parents are a key group for the Scottish Government as it pursues its priority to reduce child poverty. 

The report shows that too many parents remain locked out of work because they cannot access the flexibility they need. The biggest barrier to work, cited by 42 per cent of all unemployed parents, was a lack of flexibility around childcare.

The report offers a series of recommendations for the Scottish Government, including funding activities to support employers in embedding flexible working, especially in low-paid and frontline sectors, and embedding flexible working in plans for business growth and major initiatives such as the development of Great British Energy.

Source: TFN

(Link and quotes via original reporting)