Britain's inflexible working practices

Businesses in Britain are falling behind the rest of Europe in implementing flexible working practices, according to a new report.A study by the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) found that companies in the UK need to start embracing modern thinking and working methods to increase diversity and plug skills gaps.

Many Britons are missing out on the benefits of flexible working and the EOC claims that businesses are lagging behind competitors in the rest of Europe, with just 20 per cent of employers offering teleworking, compared with around 40 per cent in Germany, Sweden and Denmark.

The EOC points out that flexible working can boost productivity, improve engagement with staff and leave customers in a better position to deal with customer needs.Less than half (48 per cent) of UK firms offer their staff the chance to work flexi-time, compared with around 90 per cent in Germany and Sweden.

Jenny Watson, EOC chair, commented: "From the factory floor to Canary Wharf, everyone can benefit from new a culture of flexible work. Trailblazing employers are offering a wide range of work options, such as tele-working, shift-swapping and interim management."