Flexible Working Hours
March 20th, 2008
Maybe its due to the change in seasons, maybe it's the clocks going back, maybe it's a time when people have shaken off the "sleepy blues" of Christmas! Whatever the reason, Year on Year businesses throughout the country and the world choose March to bring awareness of employment issues to the forefront and to implement new changes to their businesses.
This March is no different, with plans for celebrations underway for International Women's Day on 8th March and Work Life Balance Day (ROI) 29th February. But what are the implications for businesses and why should they take note of these two significant days.
Emma Marmion and Lorraine Rooney, directors of Prestige Employment Solutions, are happy to be associated with Newry's Business Networking Lunch celebrating International Women's Day on Thursday 6th March at the Canal Court Hotel. This event is being hosted by Women in Enterprise Cross Border Programme in partnership with the Enterprising Women's Network (Armagh & Down) and Network Louth. The women commented that "this day celebrates Progress, Change and Appreciation of Female Role Models. It marks the achievements of everyday women and the contributions they make to business and to society and inspires others to achieve their full potential".
Over the years, legislation has assisted women's place within business, it has assisted women returning to the workplace, and most recently has identified the need for Flexible Working Practices to allow women to balance the hats of employee, carer or mum.
But we shouldn't forget about the great men out there! The Flexible Working addition to the Employment Act 2002 recognises both - the challenges for mothers, fathers and carers. This became effective in April 2003 and recognised an individual's right to a fulfilled life inside and outside paid work to the mutual benefit of the individual, business and society.
Anyone can ask their employer for flexible work arrangements however the government has introduced a statutory right to those With a child under 6 or a disabled child under 18 From April 07, a carer who cares for spouse, partner or relative living at the same address.
Many employers confuse Flexible Working with reducing hours or allowing flexitime however the act looks at other practices allowing flexibility. Other practices you can consider include - working from home, mobile working, secondments, relocation to closer office, and allowance for leave in the event of child sickness etc, to name a few.
In a recent CIPD survey 70% of respondents believed flexible working practices increased employee motivation. Over half of organisations commented on more successful recruitment and retention. Other benefits included Better Health, Less Stress, Less Absenteeism, Lower Staff Turnover, Better Productivity and even less traffic congestion and pollution on our roads!
Emma commented "there us an increased need for flexibility in the workplace, for both the business and the employee; after all the ability to provide a high quality of working life distinguishes you from your competition. "The employers who offer flexibility to their staff will attract applications from a wider, more diverse pool and will experience a more motivated, productive recruit who remain with their employer longer".
Lorraine added "Our aim is to assist companies in creating this happy workforce. We work side by side with businesses in creating policies and procedures to create a better work life balance for their staff, benefiting the employee and the company."
Should you have any queries on any of the issues, please contact Emma or Lorraine at Prestige Employment Solutions on 02830252107.
