So, what’s the big deal? Another mummy crusade? Another burn your bra moment?
Well in a word no!
The movement behind flexible working is slowly gaining momentum thanks to some great efforts on social media and you can see why – it quite simply makes sense!
As mothers, I think most of us feel we simply can’t win. If you go out to work you are abandoning your family, I personally have been met with “why bother having children if you are planning to leave them with someone else?”
Then there are the stay at home mum’s (SAHM) who are wasting their potential and continually being told they should be going back to work.
Either way we are supposedly damaging our children!!
Personally, I’ve been banging the “do what’s best for you and YOUR family” for what seems like forever. When people started being judgey at the fact my youngest is in nursery a good part of the week I simply cut them off with “It works for us thank you”. Yes, I would still walk off trying desperately to shut down my own mummy guilt, but I do mean what I say we do what is right for our family.
However, that is only possible because me and my partner work for ourselves and can be flexible.
I’m also very grateful to technology, which has undoubtedly changed the way we can work. We no longer have to be sat at a desk or board room table, we can be as productive (in fact research is showing more productive) working and even meeting remotely!
So, ‘here comes the science bit’:
In Powwownow’s 2017 Flexible Working Survey they found:
- 45% of people surveyed spent over an hour per day commuting
- 53% of people feel they would be more productive if they could work outside of the office
- 67% of employees wish they were offered flexible working
- 47% of full time employees do not have flexible working encouraged at their workplace
- 70% of workers feel that offering flexible working makes a job more attractive to them
You can check out the full survey here https://www.powwownow.co.uk/smarter-working/flexible-working-statistics-2017
Most of these statistics speak for themselves. The main point is people are crying out for a better work, life, family balance and flexible working can help them achieve just that! And it’s not just mums that are desperate for a better way of working, as a recent article on www2.cipd.co.uk showed, Dad’s are also silently struggling with a work-life balance. The article outlines that,
“A global study of 250,000 participants has found that men are struggling to juggle work and family life just as much as women, but feel less able to talk about the issue.”
We have to look and understand why that is and then change it!
Thankfully movements such as the Digital Mums #WorkThatWorks is campaigning for flexible working for everyone! Simply because it makes sense!! Forget the old rigid way of working, flexible working is where it’s at and not just for employees as it’s hugely beneficial to employers too. Providing a flexible working environment has proven to make employees happier and more productive, a win-win for business!!
Flexible working will also help businesses retain talent. According to Digital Mums research a shocking, “54,000 women every year are forced out of their jobs because of being pregnant.”
They go on to say,
“A disproportionate number of women hit a ceiling when they have kids. Lower-skilled jobs are taken, career progression is halted and a lack of diversity is the result. If we genuinely want to be a fair and equal society, and want to avoid stigmatising an entire demographic, embracing #WorkThatWorks is the only way forward. And it’s not just about mums – 83% of businesses that have adopted flexible working practices say it’s resulted in improvements in productivity.”
So as you can see this movement makes sense and it’s time to support and get on board!! You can do just that by showing your support for the Digital Mums #WorkThatWorks movement, simply follow this link http://workthatworks.digitalmums.com/join/
The About Flexi Time campaign is running on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram so follow us and get involved!