In a very dark room, where we keep our web programmers, a new website is being built to promote the ‘Supporting Parents In Business’ campaign as a standalone project.

Using various methods of guilt and hot-flushes we have managed to secure the support of many large firms from both sides of the Atlantic. Part of the deal being that they have to promote flexible work and post their flex jobs on hmp. In return they get a socially responsible pat on the back and the chance to put their logo on the site.

We’re trying to make a ‘SPIB’ badge a must have for business, a way to show that they are a considerate employer and adhere to the principle of flexible working. And we need your help.

We need to show employers that flexible work is no longer a nice extra in todays workplace but something that is integral to the choices a parent makes when choosing a company. As an employee or a customer.

To this end we want you to tell business what flexible work means to you. Take 5 minutes to put your thoughts in order and then sit in front of a webcam and talk.

Introduce yourself, explain your family situation and then give us just a few seconds of how a flexible job would mean all the difference to you and your family.

We’re taking the gloves off. Government and business have danced around the subject for years and concessions have been slow in coming. We have the numbers now, and they’re growing daily. We want your voices to be heard on the subject to apply pressure, to make it a social embarrassment not to offer flexible work, to be a business pariah to both employees and consumers.

You get the idea.

Your videos will be shown on the new SPIB website to give it a human face, real people with real views; to bring flexible work out of the confines of the HR policy review and legislative meetings and show the groundswell of support that flexible work has behind it.

We need to push this now. And keep pushing. I hope you’ll help.

Record a short video of why flexible work is important to you and send the file to spibsite@hiremyparents.com – this is just step 1, we will be calling on you again.

Yvette Cooper seems to have dropped any softly-softly approach to reforming the British labour market and dropped a big one on the business community, not least the business secretary Lord Mandelson.

Combined with yesterday’s announcement of the 3 month paternity leave, the right for everyone to ‘ask’ for flexible working arrangements clearly defines a new approach to Britain’s labour market in favour of lifestyle/family versus money/working hours. HR departments around the country are staring teary-eyed at the mountain of paperwork that awaits.

Is this a reaction to cuddly Cameron’s ‘broken Britain’? Legislation that will allow Britain’s families to be families rather than chasing the mighty £ at the cost family time. Who cares? If Cooper pulls it off it will finally tip the scales in favour of families.

No longer will parents be the only ones that can claim flexible work – it’ll be a level playing field. If you don’t want flextime, as a non-parent, don’t have it. But it is there if you want it and that makes all the difference in the subtle hierarchies of the workplace. Before parents had something the others didn’t, now they can choose to use what everyone has the option to use. Big difference.

This is Cooper’s email, whether you’re a Brit or not send her a message of support. She’s going up against small-minded business and the Dark Lord himself, she’s going to need it.

BTW – this is the second day in a row I’ve big’d up a labour minister, it won’t become a habit, I promise.

Related Flexible Working Articles …

When good flexible working goes bad …

With case studies of flexible work, we hear the good news. But I’ve come across several examples of flexible working programmes that have gone into decline, or reverse. Here are some of the reasons why: …

New rights for families are good news for business | Left Foot Forward

It is also worth noting that rights including the right to request flexible working, equal treatment rights for part-time workers and stronger protection against unfair dismissal have played a role in limiting job losses during the …

CentreRight: A better system of parental leave requires real …

Further, by changing existing maternity pay into a flexible parent pay that working parents receive at the same rate, bureaucracy can be removed and new flexibility can be introduced. With the payment going to families and not being …

Related articles …

• Good Britain Vs. Equal Britain (online.wsj.com)
• Census: Home workers grew in first part of decade (sfgate.com)
• UK government promoting work-life balance (americablog.com)

Over 2.6 million caregivers will benefit from the right to request flexible working in the UK alone, with a further 50 million in the USA.

Rosalyn Carter said it best: “There are only four kinds of people in the world – those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers and those who will need caregivers”.

With many caregivers looking after elderly relatives it meant a huge pool of talent, at its most productive phase of life, was lost to business because of its INflexibility.

With new legislation catching up to the needs of society this is another slice of the population, along with parents, who will be able to rejoin and contribute in the workplace outside of giving care.

Related Caregivers and Flexible Work Articles …

The Anti-Mommy Bias – Economix Blog – NYTimes.com

Some policy analysts argue that mothers make a lifestyle choice, opting for easier, more flexible work over greater responsibility and higher pay. Others, like myself, argue that our economic system imposes unfair penalties on those who care for others. … In May 2007, the Equal Opportunities Employment Commission issued official guidance on FRED, explaining circumstances under which discrimination against caregivers violates existing law. …

Are you Fair Work ready?

2. Request for flexible work arrangements: An employee who has responsibility for a child under school age or someone under 18 with a disability has a right to request a change in working arrangements. …

Related articles …

• Last Call For Nominations For The Parentgiving.com First Annual Parentgivers Of The Year Awards (prweb.com)
• You: The hidden face of caring (guardian.co.uk)
• Dementia ‘must rise in priority’ (news.bbc.co.uk)

Step 1: Review Organizational Policy
See if your organization has written policies on compressed workweeks or flextime. If so, read them. If there are no policies, recommend that the organization set up a cross-functional task force to develop them.

Step 2: Consider the Costs and Benefits
Can compressed workweeks and flextime help your department and organization improve results? Look for opportunities that will help you better serve your internal and external customers.

Step 3: Move from Idea to Plan
If you think compressed workweeks and/or flextime schedules make sense for your unit, you will need to figure out work schedules, appropriate models, participation, supervision and communication. You will find the points to cover as part of the Implementation Checklist.

Step 4: Move from Plan to Action
Now is the time to present your plan to staff, receive feedback and request employee proposals. Remember to include in your discussion non-participating employees who might be affected by these changes. Contact HR for guidance on tracking and reporting vacation, holidays, sick leave and personal days off. Also consult HR about documentation that may be required by law.

Step 5: Initiate a trial period
For the first few months, test the way your new schedules are working. To assure that compressed workweeks and flextime are successful, monitor the arrangements during the trail period, making adjustments as necessary.

Step 6: Evaluate and Improve
At the end of the trial period, evaluate the program in terms of your original objective for implementation. You may be measuring costs and benefits, customer satisfaction, employee effectiveness and/or impact on non-participating employees. Keep evaluating and fine-tuning.

These steps are based upon the recommendations at commuterchallenge.org

Related Flexible Work Policy Articles …

Family-Friendly Work Policies Take a Hit – Motherlode Blog …

Will the trend toward flexible working arrangements survive in the recession?

HR Daily Advisor – Practical Human Resource Tips, News & Advice …

Is a Flexible Work Policy Part of a Wellness Program? Most experts agree that reducing stress is an important part of wellness, but they don’t have much advice for how to accomplish it. Flexible work schedules will go a long way to …

Flexible Workpaces: Productive and Popular

We’ve recently discussed how, with the potentially rebounding economy, workers are going to expect more from their employees in 2010. Implementing a flexible work environment (or improving your company’s current telecommuting policy) is …

 

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All of a sudden it seems the world has gone flexible work mad. The South Korean government has outlined plans to increase labour market participation among women, the Aussies have just thrown up their hands and given some of the most pro-flex legislation I’ve come across – probably a bit too ‘pro’ in my view, I’ll get to that in a future post – and in the European Union women have filled 6m of the 8m new jobs created since 2000. My work is done, I’m going to play with the kids.

But hold on a damn minute. Aren’t women still being paid less?

Aren’t the middle classes still juggling with the flex v’s childcare conundrum?

Many women feel they have to choose between their children and their careers. Women who prosper in high-pressure companies during their 20s drop out in dramatic numbers in their 30s and then find it almost impossible to regain their earlier momentum. Less-skilled women are trapped in poorly paid jobs with hand-to-mouth child-care arrangements. Motherhood, not sexism, is the issue: in America, childless women earn almost as much as men, but mothers earn significantly less. And those mothers’ relative poverty also disadvantages their children.

I’m afraid there’s a long way to go on the flexible work front and the only way to change things is through education. We need to change the mind-set of the corporate world and those that govern us. Make them play by a new set of rules that they actually act on and not just give lip service to in the hope of gaining good PR or votes.

Sorry kids, I think Dora’s on Nick, I’ve got work to do.

If you have a story to tell or experience to share regarding your search for flexible work please let me know through our facebook page or in the comments. In building a library of concerns we can both address them and use them to reflect the need for a change in the workplace.

Related Flexible Work Articles…

One Year Later–Flexible Downsizing and Hard Choices Post …

A year ago, the economic downturn was in full gear. As layoffs gained momentum, I loudly promoted a more flexible approach to downsizing as an alternative to knee jerk job cuts. If executed correctly and strategically, compressed workweeks, … The work has returned and requires the same number of headcount to complete, but is generating less revenue. This means tough choices still need to be made, and creative, low-cost means of reward and engagement pursued. …

CareerMums: Family and work flexibility: Flexible work options

Where an employee works for a certain number of months a year and then is granted unpaid leave for the remainder of the year (works for employers with seasonal work demands and employees needing more time off than the average 4 weeks …

Employers See a Brighter 2010 : The Work Buzz

We can safely say that 2009 was a year where the economy struggled, and we still have some work to do in 2010. However, this year 20 percent of employers plan to add new employees in 2010–in 2009 only 14 percent said so. … They also intend to implement flexible work arrangements that help employees maintain a good work-life balance and consequently keep them happy. And in an effort to retain top talent, many organizations will ask some employees to postpone retirement …

Flexible Work In Government | hiremyparents blog

Governments in Europe and the States have been making a big push on the flexible work front over the last few years. … to protect jobs – and finding an additional £3bn to help people find new work quicker. … The Government’s flexible tax credits system has risen to the challenge of the downturn, delivering substantial support to families to compensate for this loss of pay. So far this year, because of tax credits 400000 families whose income has fallen have benefited … …

Related articles …

• America and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Jobs Numbers (meganmcardle.theatlantic.com)
• Stewart Acuff: A Decade of Disaster for Workers (huffingtonpost.com)
• The Predicament of the American “Middle Class” (liveactivecultures.net)

Governments in Europe and the States have been making a big push on the flexible work front over the last few years. Michelle Obama has put her pennies worth in and the Labour party in the UK has attempted to use it as a vote grabber with the middle-classes while simultaneously fending off cuddly Cameron.

Unfortunately, it seems that the UK government hasn’t practised what it’s preached with a recent report stating that only 14% of government systems are accessible remotely by civil servants.

I’m all for the British nuclear arsenal being kept behind closed doors and MI6 probably shouldn’t use WIFI at Starbucks but surely the government should take more of a lead when promoting flexible options.

Does it really matter if some civil servant from the education department works from home on their latest white paper? Is it really that hard to set up a secure connection to the department of transport?

Come on Gordon, or David I suppose, money – mouth.

Other Flexible Work In Government News…

Pre-Budget Report statement in full | News | Local Government …

As the global recession hit our country, we responded by bringing forward investment in vital infrastructure projects to protect jobs – and finding an additional £3bn to help people find new work quicker. … The Government’s flexible tax credits system has risen to the challenge of the downturn, delivering substantial support to families to compensate for this loss of pay. So far this year, because of tax credits 400000 families whose income has fallen have benefited …

REC urges government to protect the UK flexible labour market

The REC has now asked the government to ensure that forthcoming regulations do not have a negative impact on flexible working options within organisations. The REC has claimed that it’s also crucial for the government to recognise the …

Related Articles…

• Darling’s message to middle Britain | Pre-budget report | Martin Kettle (guardian.co.uk)

Please ‘share your thoughts’ on Flexible Work In Government

The key word in that last paragraph was ‘offer’. I really don’t care how many employers ‘offer’ flexible work – I want to know how many people take them up on it. I then want to know the pay, time-off and chances of progression for those that work the flexi time offered.

It is not enough to simply offer flexible work as a carrot to entice top employees or improve the company’s public relations message. The whole corporate mentality has to shift from using it as a gimmick to actually seeing it as the way the 21st century will work. If business doesn’t embrace this change in society then society will change business – and any company still stuck in the 9-5 rut will lose its employees and its customers.

Today in Flexible Work:

Why Women Lawyers Leave: A Quest for Flexible Work and Supportive …

More than 70 percent of the job-hopping lawyers said their previous employer was not supportive of full-time flexible alternatives, while only 30 percent described their current employer as unsupportive of such arrangements. …

Flexible work options bring thanks – » Welcome to Careers 2.0 …

They work long hours, yet can arrange a work schedule that starts earlier (in pajamas if desired), accommodates family time and is all around more flexible. It’s hard to hide from the office, but you are the boss. …

European Unemployment Levels

This is thanks to a large developed service market, part-time work and especially acceptance of flexible work with interim job placement bureaus …. all creating a very flexible labor market. Thus, it is much easier to balance supply …

Related articles:

• Top Ten Ways to Find Joy at Work (blogs.harvardbusiness.org)
• Small-Business Guide: Buying the Best Insurance for Your Business (nytimes.com)
• Making Jobs: Can the Government Really Boost Employment? (time.com)

That’s your flexible work update for today.

Antonia Chitty
Antonia is an award winning entrepreneur, author and mum to three. She founded PR agency ACPR after the birth of her daughter. She says, “I’d never thought of working for myself until I spent six months unhappily juggling a full time job and rarely seeing my daughter. A session with a life coach showed me that there was another way.” Since then, Antonia has developed ACPR and written nine books. She blogs daily on flexible work and enterprise at www.familyfriendlyworking.co.uk and has offers help to other mums who want to start or develop a business through www.themumpreneurguide.co.uk.

Emma Jones
Emma is the founder of Enterprise Nation the home business website. Over 100,000 people visit the site each month to read lively features and watch the home business show. As well as the site, Enterprise Nation runs the Home Business Awards, produces the annual Home Business Report and advises Government on the topic.

Following a career with an international accountancy firm, Emma started her first home business at the age of 27 and successfully sold it 15 months after launch. Emma’s book ‘Spare Room Start Up – how to start a business from home’ was published by Harriman House in May 2008 and became Waterstones’ business book of the month on publication. Emma’s second book ‘Working 5 to 9 – how to start a business in your spare time’ will be published in early 2010. You can follow Emma on Twitter.

Majella Wilkins
Return2WorkMums offers career coaching and networking plus lots of employment news and tips specifically for women thinking about or actively planning their return to work. Majella is a co-founder and will help you get excited about a return to work and all the available options.

Gavin Davis
Gavin is the owner of RedStarResume, specialists in resumes and covering letters. He’ll be happy to field any questions from our members in relation to their resumes.

Joycellyn Akuffo
A journalist with more than 10 years experience Joycellyn is all about quality content. If you want to attract customers, give yourself a professional image then you need to portray that in your online and offline work – your content. Joycellyn is the founder of www.motherswhowork.co.uk and she can help you to develop your content for blogging, PR, sales material or whatever you use to capture leads or sell your services.

Anna Martin
Anna Martin’s background is communication based. A freelance journalist, for over 20 years, her skills have developed to incorporate personal development, holistic awareness and understanding, and include ­ Soul & Spirit Healing, Intuitive Life Coaching, Future Life Progression, Past Life Regression, Reiki, Angelic Alchemy, Indian Head Massage, Japanese Hand Massage and Meditation. She is also an experienced Agony Aunt. Anna, who is based in Kent, has experienced many of the issues you may present, and is therefore able to offer empathy and support and to nurture your dreams with an informal approach. Anna is the founder of www.mylifesupport.com

Steve Pritchard
Our very own Steve, steveathmp for you twitterers, has been making a living online since 2002 (the stone-age in web terms) and advised many start-ups on their online presence and marketing. You can contact Steve directly on a range of topics from building a website that converts, using social media to ramp up your word-of-mouth, search engine optimisation, ppc, traffic tactics etc. When you join hmp you are given the option to join Steve’s free online guide to ‘Building a Small Business Website’ – not just how to make it pretty but how to make it drive traffic, convert leads and build reputation.