Employers could be missing out on top talent by not advertising flexible working arrangements during recruitment, a report by Timewise has suggested.
The jobs board found that 6% of all jobs offering a salary between £20,000 and £29,999 advertise flexible working arrangements during recruitment.
Higher salaried jobs were less likely to offer flexible work:
- 3% of jobs worth £40,000- £99,999 advertised flexible work
- 2% of jobs worth between £100,000 and £199,999 offered flexibility.
Changes to employment law in June 2014 allowed employees with at least 26 weeks’ continuous employment to apply for flexible working arrangements. Flexible working encompasses different working patterns such as flexitime, place of work and shift work.
The report said employers should emphasise flexible working options during recruitment to ensure they attract the best talent:
“Employers are cutting themselves off from a proportion of the candidate market by not stating their openness to flexibility in their recruitment advertising. These ‘lost’ candidates include some of the very best available talent.”
The benefits of flexible work
Allowing staff more freedom in determining their work-life balance often results in happier, more productive employees. By offering flexible working arrangements, you can:
- Attract top talent: Empowering your employees will increase the chances of them staying with the company for longer
- Boost productivity: Giving your staff more freedom will increase their job satisfaction and provide extra motivation to work
- Cut costs: Although it may seem trivial, cutting the number of desks in your office can save your business money
Talk to us about introducing flexible working to your workplace.
