Class divide

TUC research points to an emerging “class divide” as some workers opt to keep working from home, while those who can’t work from home have little access to forms of flexible working. 

TUC polling found that working class jobs have less access to homeworking and that flexible hours are more likely to be refused.

One in six employers surveyed (16%) say that after the pandemic, they will not offer flexible working opportunities to staff who could not work from home during the pandemic. This compares to one in 16 (6%) saying they will not offer flexible working to those who have worked from home in the pandemic.

The TUC says this shows a new “emerging class divide” in access to jobs enabling workers to balance their working life and other responsibilities.