Forum Brief: Flexible working hours

On the day that new flexible working rules come into effect, a government survey has found that more than half of British employees believe their careers would be damaged if they request a change in working conditions.

The survey also reveals that 94 per cent of employers think staff work best when they strike a healthy work/life balance.

Forum Response: Institute of Directors

Ruth Lea, head of the Policy Unit at the IoD, told ePolitix.com: "The extensions of family friendly policies, including the right for parents to request flexible working patterns, may seem progressive but they will hurt businesses and cause resentment in the workplace.

"British employers in fact are already ahead of the 'work-life balance' agenda - 41 per cent of working women in Britain work part-time compared with an average of 28 per cent in the EU. More legislation is quite simply unwarranted."

Forum Response: Usdaw

Sir Bill Connor, general secretary of Usdaw, told ePolitix.com: "We very much welcome the government's emphasis on promoting family friendly working, which will help a great many parents with their work life balance.

"This survey highlights the gap, that often exists, in understanding between employees and employers and their respective attitudes. This is where trade unions play a valuable role. For many years Usdaw has been negotiating flexible working arrangements for our members.

"Trade unions are uniquely able to offer representation to workers, enabling them to have the confidence and protection they need to apply for their rights, such as requesting to work flexibly.

"The right to flexible working isn't just important in giving individual employees a better work life balance, it is starting to create a culture in the workplace where parents feel valued and supported rather than afraid. It is important that workers claim their rights and unions like Usdaw are there to help."

Forum Response: TSSA

Richard Rosser, general secretary for TSSA, said: "Rights to parental leave were introduced in the UK in December 1999. A survey conducted by TSSA shows that many parents remain either unaware of their parental leave rights or unable to take advantage of them because they remain unpaid or cannot be taken in blocks of less than a week.

"After more than three years, it is clear that both the government and employers are failing in their responsibility to inform parents of their basic rights to time off to look after children.

"Therefore the government needs to properly enforce parental rights to ensure that workers are receiving the benefits they are entitled to in bringing up their families.

"It also seems apparent that few employers are developing work/life balance policies that go beyond the minimum entitlements introduced by the government to meet the needs of working parents."