The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has urged the government to introduce flexible working for all.
Flexible working, which includes mobile working and setting up virtual offices, should be available to all employees to prevent the creation of a detrimental two-tier workforce.
As such, the CIPD wants the government to stick to its 2015 timetable to make this a reality for all workers.
Mike Emmott, employee relations adviser at the CIPD, said: “The truth is that many employers – large and small – have anticipated the government’s proposal and are willing to consider requests from any employee.
“They see the business benefits of helping employees balance their work with their lifestyle and personal commitments, at a time when organisations need to be driving competitive edge through their people. ”
Most see an inherent value in flexible working in the workplace.
The CIPD believes that employees who have a certain freedom to their working lives are more likely to offer their employers “more” than someone who “reluctantly” works a typical day at the office.
A recent survey from EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, found that 90 per cent of its members needed flexible working to customer demand.
