2010 – The year for flexible work?
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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?
Flexible Work In Government
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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…
Please ‘share your thoughts’ on Flexible Work In Government
The Rise Of Flexible Work – Not
The Society for Human Resource Management’s 2009 Employee Benefits Survey found that 45 percent of surveyed employers offer telecommuting on an ad hoc basis as a benefit. About 34 percent offer telecommuting on a part-time basis and 19 percent offer telecommuting on a full-time basis as a benefit. Bullshit statistics.
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. …
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.
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Our hiremyparents experts
Just a quickie to let you know the line-up of experts that we’ve managed to assemble for the hiremyparents dream team. I think we’ve covered everything but if you think there’s anyone else (you?) who’d be a great asset to the team, and help parents get the flexibility they need, then simply make a comment and we’ll see what we can do.
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.
