Open up flexible working for all, urges CIPD

Requests for changed work patterns ‘are not just a perk for parents and carers’

The government should stick to its 2015 deadline to introduce flexible working for all to avoid creating a two-tier workforce between small and large employers, the CIPD has warned.

Flexible working offers genuine business benefits for organisations of all sizes, and is not just a ‘perk’ for parents or carers, the institute said in its response to the Modern Workplaces consultation.

Mike Emmott, employee relations adviser at the CIPD, said: “The truth is that many employers – large and small – have anticipated the government’s proposal and are willing to consider requests from any employee. They see the business benefits of helping employees balance their work with their lifestyle and personal commitments, at a time when organisations need to be driving competitive edge through their people.”

He added that the CIPD was concerned that the government has considered exempting micro-businesses and start-ups from the proposals – particularly as any regulations will only come into effect after the current three-year moratorium.

“Excluding businesses of any size from the application of employment regulation would tend towards the creation of a two-tier labour market and could be a perverse disincentive for small businesses to expand.
“We believe that the flexible working regulations are a great example of light-touch legislation and we see no case for excluding micro-businesses and start-ups when the regulations are extended.”

In addition Emmott called on CIPD members to support the shared parental leave proposals in the consultation. “Without more equal sharing of parental leave and pay, it is unlikely that the current division of caring responsibilities will shift,” he said.

However, manufacturers’ organisation the EEF gave a more cautious response to the consultation. It said it supports flexible working but added that the right should not be rolled out universally.

Head of employment affairs Tim Thomas said: “Flexible working is already widespread in manufacturing given the need to respond rapidly to changes in markets and customer needs as well as employees’ desire for greater flexibility in how they work.

“We believe further regulation is not needed but the government has at least tried to keep the new measures as simple as possible. However, it does need to look again at the complexity of its proposals for making parental leave more flexible.”

The EEF also called for parental leave proposals to be reformed to remove the opportunity for parents to take leave in several blocks or on a part-time basis. It also wants a four-week period of leave ring-fenced for fathers alone to be removed, and rejected proposals for gender pay audits.

Source People Management