31 July 2009 – Caring and flexible working
Findings are published today from research to explore issues around caring and flexible working. Questions were placed on British Market Research Bureau’s Omnibus Survey, on who should be responsible for caring for older people when they need care and awareness, availability and take-up of flexible working. Just over 3,000 people, weighted to be representative of the GB population, were interviewed in May/June 2008.
Findings from the research show that:
- Four in ten people (41 per cent) think that the whole family should have the main responsibility to look after older people when they need care. Women were more likely to think this than men. Men were more likely than women to say that the state should have the responsibility.
- Awareness of the ‘right to request' flexible working was low, with half of respondents (50 per cent) saying that they did not know which employees had the ‘right to request’ flexible working. Where respondents did give an answer, half said that they thought all employees had the ‘right to request’, which is not correct. Only one in five respondents knew of one or more of the groups covered by the 'right to request', with few mentioning that they knew of more than one group.
- Those respondents entitled to the ‘right to request’ were no more likely than others to know which employees had the 'right to request' flexible working.
- The vast majority of respondents were not aware of the qualifying period for the ‘right to request’ flexible working. Most respondents who answered this question saying that they couldn't remember about the qualifying period or thinking that it was shorter than it is.
- Nine in ten employees (91 per cent) said that they had one or more flexible working arrangements available to them.
- Nearly seven in ten employees (69 per cent) currently work flexibly with the largest group of employees working flexi-time (32 per cent).
- Of those who had not made a request to work flexibly over the last two years, approximately half (49 per cent) said that they were content with their current working arrangement.
Notes to Editors
1. 'Caring and flexible working' by Karen Elsmore is published today as part of the DWP Research Summary series. A copy of the summary can be downloaded from the Department’s website at: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/summ-index.asp
2. Questions were placed on BMRB's Omnibus survey. Analysis of the findings was carried out in-house.
3. At the time of the survey, the 'right to request' flexible working was available to those who had been with their employer for 26 weeks, and:
- had a child under the age of six or a disabled child under the age of 18
- were a carer who cares, or expects to be caring, for an adult who is a spouse, partner, civil partner or specified relative, or who although not related to them, lives at the same address as the person providing care
4. From 6 April 2009, the 'right to request' flexible working was extended to parents of children aged 16 and under.
5. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has the lead responsibility for employment relations matters, including flexible working. The research was carried out by DWP, with the support of BIS and Government Equalities Office (GEO).
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