Employers should ensure the needs of the business are
matched with the needs of employees if they want to make flexible
working a success, according to the Chartered Institute of
Personnel and Development.
The CIPD said flexible working creates problems if the employers
offering it fail to bring the interests of their business and their
employees together.
A new publication from the CIPD, called Flexible Working, shows
how flexible working has been successfully introduced by
employers. When implemented successfully, it can give firms access
to a wider range of potential employees. These people can help the
business find new ways of making money, the CIPD said.
Stephen Ellis, co-author of Flexible Working, said, "The
introduction of flexible working can help attract underused groups,
such as parents and students, allowing organisations to compete in
the war for talent."
Earlier this year a CIPD survey of 585 of the organisation's
members showed that the proportion of employees using flexible
working was far smaller than the proportion of employers that were
prepared to offer it. Just 26% of employees took up flexible
working even though 84% of employers viewed it positively.
Rebecca Clake, CIPD organisation and resourcing adviser, said,
"Flexible working practices can be advantageous to both
organisations and employees. They give people more control over
when and where they work and this appears to mean more focused and
motivated employees."