More employers provide flexible work schemes

A major new report on work-life balance has found that more employers are offering a variety of forms of flexible working, although use by employees of the provisions depends largely on the type of arrangement.

The Department of Trade and Industry's (DTI) Second work-life balance study shows that greater numbers of employers are prepared to provide flexible working arrangements than three years ago, when it carried out its last major study.

For all forms of flexible working apart from part-time work, there had been an increase in the number of employers offering these provisions. In all cases availability had doubled since the 2000 survey, with flexitime now on offer in 24% of establishments, compared to 12% previously.

Availability of term-time working had increased to 16% of organisations from 7%, and job sharing was an option in 14%, compared to only 6% before.

However the report shows that despite increased availability, incidences of employees using the working arrangements varied. Flexitime, term-time working and annualised hours were popular where available (used by 75% of employees or more in 31%, 28% and 26% of workplaces respectively).

However, job sharing, compressed hours and reduced hours had relatively low take-up rates.