Not Flexible Working?

Two thirds of employers rarely allow their staff to work from home, according to a Labour Market Outlook (LMO) survey carried out by the The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)/KPMG.

69% of employers never or occasionally accept requests to work from home,only 8% of employers thought home-workers are less productive than workers in the office. Almost a third (30%) thought home-workers are more productive. A fifth of respondents are more likely to accept flexible working requests from management.

Gerwyn Davies, policy adviser at the CIPD, said: “Employers should be more accommodating about accepting requests to work from home, rather than fostering a culture of presenteeism. The allure of home-working for employees is becoming greater given the stress and rising costs associated with commuting. Employers and line managers should therefore have more confidence in their staff, policies and in their own management capability to ensure that they recruit, retain and make the best use of the talent they have.”