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PRESS RELEASE: Is YOUR organisation up to speed with the new Employment Relations (Flexible Working) bill?

  • Employers have a duty to be compliant with the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill by Saturday 6 April, 2024. This bill gives workers the right to ask for flexible working on Day One in a new job, amongst other things.

  • A study of 4,001 people by Timewise found that HALF of UK workers (49 per cent)
    would consider asking for a flexible pattern1, using the Day One Right to Request in a new job.

  • Younger workers, parents, carers and people from minority ethnic groups are amongst the MOST likely to use the new rights to ask for flexible working on Day One.

  • How can organisations gauge how ready they are for the change? Timewise is offering HR, Talent and Inclusion teams a free checklist and flexible hiring guide, available here: https://timewise.co.uk/consultancy-services/day-one-flex-ready/

Wednesday 20 March, 2024: 1 in 2 UK workers (49 per cent)1 say they will consider asking for a flexible pattern from Day One in a new job.

Employers have until Saturday 6 April, 2024, to get up to speed with the changes introduced by the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill.

Social enterprise and flexible working experts Timewise have released a simple checklist and flexible hiring guide, for HR, Talent and Inclusion teams to be able to assess how ready they are for the changes.

Register your details here to access both: https://timewise.co.uk/consultancy-services/day-one-flex-ready/

Timewise interviewed 4,001 UK workers2, to assess the potential impact of Day One Flex rights, which all UK workers gain via the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill on Saturday 6 April, 2024.

The study suggests more than a quarter of UK workers are already aware of the legislation (29 per cent)3, and younger workers, parents, carers and people from minority ethnic groups are the MOST likely to use the new rights to ask for flexible working on Day One.

The data found a strong connection between ethnicity and the likelihood of taking-up the new rights: 61 per cent of workers from Black, Asian and Mixed Ethnic backgrounds said they would consider making a request from Day One in a new job compared to 48 per cent of workers from a White background. And, among those from Black minority backgrounds, the interest in the rights grows even stronger – with 71% per cent expressing an interest in leveraging the new legislation in a new employment setting4.

Timewise says this difference may be indicative of workers from Black and other ethnic minorities feeling reluctant to speak to existing bosses about adjusting their working patterns. More than a third (37%) of workers from Black, Asian and Mixed Ethnic backgrounds backgrounds say they would NOT feel comfortable talking to their current employers about changing their working pattern. Only 28% of workers from a White background feel the same5.

Claire Campbell, CEO of Timewise says: “Hiring is changing. A lot of businesses aren’t aware of the changes coming and many aren’t equipped to deal with it just yet. The new legislation will help job hunters feel entitled to ask about flexible working options and requests could start coming thick and fast. Our new tools will help those responsible for HR processes within their businesses to assess ‘where they are at’ and get some starter guidance. Flexible working and diversity and inclusion are interwoven, and businesses that make the most of the opportunity could really open some doors to new and exciting talent.”

ENDS

For more information, interviews or case studies please contact Jo Burkill
jo.burkill@timewise.co.uk / 07960 472097

Notes to editors

1. Respondents were asked: “Would you consider taking advantage of the new day one right to request if you applied for a new role?”

49% said yes
30% said not sure
21% said no

2. About the research: Timewise instructed Opinium to undertake the fieldwork. 4,001 adults in work were interviewed online between 27 March and 9 April 2023. The data is weighted to be nationally representative of the UK working population.

3. Respondents were asked if they had heard of the new flexible working rights:

12% said yes and knew what they were about
17% said yes, but were not sure what they were about (net 29% for ‘yes’)
65% said no
7% said not sure

4. Respondents were asked: would you consider taking advantage of the new day one right to request if you applied for a new role?

Respondents of a White ethnic background: 48% said yes
Respondents with Mixed or Multiple ethnic backgrounds: 69% said yes
Respondents of a Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African ethnic background: 71% said yes
Respondents of Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh ethnic background: 60% said yes
Ethnic minorities: 61% agreed

5. Respondents (excluding self-employed) were asked: “To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement?” I would not feel comfortable to speak to my employer about changing my working pattern (e.g. having a different start time)

Respondents of a White ethnic background: 28% agreed
Respondents with Mixed or Multiple ethnic backgrounds : 32% agreed
Respondents of a Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African ethnic background: 34% agreed
Respondents of Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh ethnic background: 39% agreed
Ethnic minorities: 37% agreed

  • Screen Scotland, the BBC and the Film and TV Charity have all supported the first ever financial modelling of an 8-hour day in scripted drama (reduced from the industry average of 10-hours/day).

  • It has long been assumed that shorter working days would delay production by so much, that the cost would make a production unfeasible.

  • However, 98% of over 800 film and TV workers surveyed say they want a shorter working day (8 hours) – and 71% would be prepared to pro rata their day rate to get it.

  • New report published by Timewise today includes insights from interviews with commissioners, writers, directors and from shadowing two live Band 2 scripted drama productions.
  • If production teams and crew work on a pro rata’d basis, Band 2 productions1 would only cost an estimated 4% more in the overall production budget.

12 February, 2024: There have long been calls to reduce the long daysin Film and TV, though it has widely been assumed that shorter working days in Film and TV would delay production by so much, that the cost would make a production unfeasible.

But this theory has never been tested – until now.

The flexible working experts Timewise and Bectu Vision have been working in partnership to investigate the long-hours norm in film and TV, and explore if there is any viable alternative, supported by Screen Scotland, the BBC and the Film and TV Charity.

Timewise and Bectu Vision have just completed an in-depth feasibility study, conducted over nine months of 2023, to assess the financial implications of a shorter working day – 8 hours Vs the standard 10 – for scripted drama production.

This included first of its kind analysis into the cost and schedule implications, and a framework for how to make this work.

The resulting new report, called: ‘Designing a blueprint for a shorter working day in film and scripted drama’, finds that:

  • There is a general consensus across all those consulted for this feasibility study – commissioners, producers, directors, writers, actors and crew – that working hours are too long and unsustainable in film and television.
  • It is in principle commercially viable to extend a production schedule in order to reduce the daily working hours from 10 to 8.  This would increase the overall production costs by an estimated 4%.
  • In order to make this work interviewees agreed that the industry needs to challenge the myths that it isn’t possible to reduce working patterns, based on ingrained assumptions and behaviours and a view that it can’t work for X or Y department.
  • Being more mindful in the commissioning and prep of productions including earlier scripts is a key component to enabling efficiencies in how productions are made.
  • Whilst the writers’ strike resulted in a reduction in work for crew, there remains a need to tackle the long hours culture that is causing many to leave due to ill health and resulting talent shortages. The situation is acknowledged by many industry insiders to be unsustainable.

Timewise and Bectu Vision recommend that industry partners support a trial production where the shorter day would run across all departments.

Timewise has had success in other workplaces thought to be ‘impossible to flex’ in; including nursing, retail, media newsrooms, teaching and construction sites. All face similar recruitment, retention and wellbeing challenges. All pilots have seen staggering increases in wellbeing, cost savings through reduced sickness and increases in staff happiness.

The project backers, BBC and Screen Scotland, are currently considering the findings from the trial.

Emma Stewart MBE, co-founder of Timewise, who has a background in film and TV says: “I am one of the thousands of people who had to walk away from a career in TV & Film, after starting a family. It led me to found Timewise – and I am determined to make a difference for the next generation of talent. We have to face facts: current working patterns mean we slam the door in the face of inclusion. You instantly lose people with family commitments, caring duties, and the need to balance anything else in life. The irony? Our dynamic creative sector thrives on diversity and the art of the possible. We are the experts at imagination and making dreams come true. It will cost a production just 4% more, to create a better work life balance for staff. It is a price worth paying.”

Amy Shaw, co-manager of Bectu Vision says: “Bectu Vision has long been passionate about supporting freelancers to find fair work opportunities in film and TV and it’s brilliant to be part of this important next step initiative. 

“As a former production crew member, I know only too well how challenging long hours on productions can be and how difficult it is for film and TV workers to strike a balance between work and personal life.

“We’re really excited to be able to present evidence based on production and crew insights to help find solutions to the long working hours problem that has plagued the industry for so long. This work will be critical to moving the industry forward in how it approaches the issue and in creating a healthier, happier and more sustainable working environment for all film and TV freelancers.”

Ashley Lawrie from Screen Scotland says: “This study clearly illustrates that the screen workforce is seeking to improve their working patterns and in turn, their work-life balance.  We recognise that current working practices in the sector are unsustainable, and this feasibility study is one step in offering a solution to ensure that we retain our highly-skilled workforce, attract new talent and foster creativity and diversity into the industry.”

Marcus Ryder, CEO at the Film and TV Charity says: “At the Film and TV Charity we have long observed the harmful effects of excessive  working hours on those who work in film and television. Both our Looking Glass research and our direct work with clients has repeatedly highlighted the damage excessive hours have on workers’ mental health and wellbeing, and the role they play in people leaving the industry. We were therefore delighted to join with partners in supporting this important study and we are strongly encouraged by its conclusions. We urge all those with a stake to read the work and take up the challenge.”

ENDS

For more information, copies of the two reports or case studies please contact Jo Burkill on 07960 472097 or jo.burkill@timewise.co.uk.


About Timewise

Timewise are the UK’s flexible working experts. A 17-year-old award-winning social enterprise with commercial expertise, Timewise works with employers, candidates, policymakers and influencers to create stronger, more inclusive workplaces, powered by flexible working.

It comprises of three elements: an experienced team of consultants who advise employers on job design, a specialist jobsite for good quality part-time and flexible roles with 80,000+ candidates and an innovation unit that produces world-class research on the UK labour market.

Timewise has a particular specialism in large, complex workforces with a high portion of shift-based workers. It runs real-life onsite pilots so employers can test their ideas and measure success, before rolling them out.

Timewise was founded in 2006, when two working mothers realised there was a gap in the UK jobs market, between the kind of flexibility people were searching for and what was available. This gap leads to social and financial inequality.

Timewise’s mission is to create a healthier, more equal society where everyone has access to good flexible and part-time work.

For many parents, carers, older workers or people with mental or physical health issues, full-time work just isn’t an option. The lack of flexible jobs in the UK, particularly for decently paid roles that offer some kind of progression, leaves them facing a stark choice: stay trapped in a low-paid flexible role, or don’t work at all.

About Bectu Vision

Bectu Vision project delivers targeted short courses and a drama training programme of activity to support the skills development of crew in Scotland. ​Bectu Vision is a member of the Screen Training Alliance Scotland. It is funded by Screen Scotland, BBC and Scottish Union Learning, in partnership with Bectu (the UK’s union for the creative industries).

About Screen Scotland

Screen Scotland drives development of all aspects of Scotland’s film and TV industry, through funding and strategic support. Screen Scotland is part of Creative Scotland and delivers these services and support with funding from Scottish Government and The National Lottery. Find out more at screen.scot and follow us on Twitter and Instagram


Notes to editors

1 Band 2 productions are cost between £850k and £3m per television hour to produce.

  • Landmark post-pandemic study of 4,000 workers by social enterprise Timewise examines the state of part-time working in the UK. 
     
  • Finds while part-time workers still face significant barriers – overall, attitudes may be changing. 
     
  • …FAR more people now disagree, than agree, with the notion that part-time workers are unambitious (50 per cent Vs 23 per cent).

London, 5 December, 2023:  A new report by the social enterprise Timewise examines the state of part-time working in the UK post-pandemic and how it is perceived today.  

Part-time workers make up one quarter of the UK’s total workforce, accounting for 8 million people.1 38 per cent of all women in employment in the UK are part-time; compared to 14 per cent of men. 43 per cent of workers aged 50+, are part-time.2  
 
Timewise, via Opinium, interviewed 4,000 UK-based workers3 to gather their experiences and perceptions of part-time working, regardless of their own patterns of work.  

For years in the UK, part-time work has been equated with a lack of ambition and being just for junior roles. The term ‘part-timer’ is sometimes used derogatively to imply that someone cares less about their job.   
 
Timewise’s report, A Question of Time finds that:  

  • Far more people now perceive part-time workers to be AS AMBITIOUS as anybody else – and their numbers dwarf those who disagree (50 per cent versus 23 per cent).4 
     
  • However, while most workers regard part-timers to be as ambitious as anyone else, there remains a perception that part-time working is a barrier to progression.  
     
  • Just under half of workers in the UK agree that part-time working limits career progression (46 per cent). There is a high level of uncertainty, with nearly one in three workers saying they “don’t know” (32 per cent).5 
     
  • While managers are ironically the most likely occupational group to consider part-time working in the future (40 per cent, compared to just 34 per cent of those in semi-routine and routine occupations6) they are also more likely to consider working part-time working as a barrier to progression (53 per cent agree7).

This finding is significant given that many managers are the ‘gatekeepers’ of part-time and flexible options in others’ careers.  

The report also finds some distinct divisions by demographic groups:  

  • More than twice as many women work part-time in order to care for someone, than men. 32 per cent of female part-time workers work part-time to care for someone else, rising to 45 per cent of those aged 35-49. Just 13 per cent of all male part-time workers work part-time for caring reasons.8 
     
  • Men are also 16 per centage points MORE likely than women to see part-time workers as less ambitious than full-time workers.9 
     
  • Respondents from Asian minority ethnic groups are more likely to agree to the statement ‘part-time working limits career progression’ than those from white ethnic groups (58 per cent versus 45 per cent%).10 
     
  • More younger workers than older workers view part-time working as limiting to career progression, and they are also the age group that is least likely to feel comfortable discussing working arrangements with their manager. 11   

Finally, the report, backed by Diageo, Lloyds Banking Group and Phoenix Group, makes the following recommendations: 

  1. A range of flexible working arrangements should be available to all roles. This would enable people to reduce or increase their working hours if they choose to do so, giving more choice and control.  
  1. Part-time work needs to be considered in the context of equality, diversity and inclusion strategy.  
  1. Job share should be seen as a key solution to making part-time an option in senior roles and enabling career development. 

Dr Sarah Dauncey, who led the research says: “Most people regard part-time workers to be as ambitious as everyone else, yet barriers to progression persist. While full-time working is seen as the default by employers, too many people will be excluded from the workplace entirely or are unable to thrive. Businesses need to listen to the voices shared in our study and consider how to take a more dynamic and inclusive approach to working hours, enabling people to dial-up and down their working hours at different life stages and have more choice and control.” 

Phoenix Group’s Cath Sermon, Head of Public Engagement and Campaigns for Phoenix Insights, says: “For all the talk of progress in post-pandemic ways of working, too little has changed in practice for part-time working. There is growing, but unmet demand, for part-time work, which is vital if we want to help people enjoy the benefits of working whilst also managing their health, caring for family and other activities that are important to them.  There are also some challenging perceptions around presenteeism and barriers to progression that are holding people back.  Employers should take seriously the actions recommended here to unlock the flexibility employees need and want.

“At Phoenix we’re supporting managers to make part-time work a reality by embedding it in a really effective way within our organisation, and we are working with all colleagues to challenge their mindset to ensure part-time work can become a key part of our inclusive and productive 21st century workforce.” 

ENDS

For case studies, interviews and the full report please contact Jo Burkill at Timewise:
07960 472097 / jo.burkill@timewise.co.uk  
 

About Timewise

Timewise are the UK’s flexible working experts. A 17 year-old social enterprise, it comprises of an experienced team of consultants who advise employers on job design and an innovation unit that produces world-class research on the UK labour market.  

Specialists in large, complex workforces and particularly in shift-based roles, Timewise aims to build stronger workplaces where good flexible working is available to everyone. www.timewise.co.uk 

Notes to editors 

1 8,462,000 of the UK’s 32,882,000 workers are part-time, accounting for 26 per cent or roughly 1 in 4. Source: ONS LFS, November 2023: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/uklabourmarket/november2023 

2 Timewise, A Question of Time, May 2023, p.12. 

3 Timewise adopted a mixed methods approach to this research. Firstly, it undertook analysis of the Labour Force Survey (LFS), looking at trends in part-time work from 2018 to 2022 to provide the context for its primary research. Via Opinium, it undertook an online survey among 4001 workers in the UK. The sample was representative of all workers in employment, including permanent and temporary (zero-hours, fixed-term). It gathered demographic information including: gender, age, ethnicity, caring responsibilities, disability and long-term health condition, occupation (NS-SEC) and household income. It also ran two focus groups composed of early career workers and two for older and experienced workers.  

4 Timewise, A Question of Time, Dec 2023: p.14 
“Part-time workers are less ambitious than full-time workers.” 
50% – disagree 
27% – neither / don’t know 
23% – agree 
 
Timewise, A Question of Time, Dec 2023: p.14 
“Part-time limits career progression.” 
22% – disagree 
32% – neither/ don’t know 
46% – agree 

6  Timewise, A Question of Time, Dec 2023: p.13 

7 Timewise, A Question of Time, Dec 2023: p.14 
“Part-time limits career progression.” 
Managerial, adminsistrative and professional occupations 
21% – disagree 
25% – neither / don’t know 
53% – agree
 
Semi routine and routine occupations 
25% – disagree 
28% – neither agree nor disagree 
36% – agree 

8 Timewise, A Question of Time, Dec 2023: p.12  

9 Timewise, A Question of Time, Dec 2023: p.6 

10 A Question of Time, Dec 2023: p.6 

11 A Question of Time, Dec 2023: p.6 

  • 9th annual Flexible Jobs Index by Timewise reveals a SLOWDOWN in the growth of the rate of job ads offering flexible working options: ‘back to a slow climb up a steep mountain’.
  • Major data set – annual analysis of c.6 million UK job ads offering decently paid roles (£20K FTE+), advertised this year.
  • Typically the volume of job ads offering flexible working creeps up by 1 or 2 % a year.
  • An accelerated rate of growth was seen in the pandemic:
    • +9% in 2021
    • +4% in 2022.
  • This year, growth has fallen back to a sluggish +1% rise. Analysis on ‘why’ below.

Tuesday 14 November, 2023: The rate of job vacancies being posted with the promise of flexible working, has slowed down to pre-pandemic levels.

For the 9th year in a row, the social enterprise Timewise has analysed nearly 6m UK job ads to see what portion are being offered with part-time and flexible options – within the wording of vacancies themselves.1

This year’s Timewise Flexible Jobs Index, backed by Lloyds Banking Group, shows negligible change on the previous year’s volume of job adverts, overtly offering some form of flexible working at the point of hire.

Just 31% of UK jobs now offer a flexible option when advertised2, a figure that appears to have reached a plateau following the rapid increase in job ads offering hybrid working during the pandemic.  

An accelerated rate of growth was seen in the pandemic:

  • +9% in 2021
  • +4% in 2022

The growth rate has returned to the pre-pandemic increase of 1 per cent a year.

It is important to note that few job ads have ever referenced flex options in the UK3, where the recruitment market fails to reflect what’s actually happening within jobs.

Even now, most job vacancies in the UK, 69 per cent (or nearly 7 in 10) make NO mention of flex options at ALL4. While 6 in 10 UK employees actually work in flexible jobs5.  Meaning the UK hiring market is vastly out of kilter with flexible working that’s actually happening in the workforce.

Flexible Jobs –  desire Vs lack of availability

  • 31 per cent of jobs offer flexible working options.
  • 60 per cent of employees are in flexible jobs.
  • 87 per cent of people want flex in their next role6

Clare McNeil, Director of Timewise’s Innovation Unit says:
“The volume of job ads offering flexible working options has trebled since 2015. However since the end of the pandemic this has fallen back to a slow climb up a steep mountain. Just 31% of UK job ads now offer some form of flexible working up front, meaning parents, carers and all those who need flex, have just one third of the UK jobs market to search within. People who want flexible working account the majority. Yet they are treated as if they are the exception. This is indicative of a market failure – and one that shows businesses are perilously out of touch with what employees are looking for, given the grave talent shortages many face.”

Nicky Elford, Head of Colleague Propositions and Policy, Lloyds Banking Group says:

“We were one of the first organisations in the UK to open flexible and agile working options for all new roles, recognising that this allows us to attract a wider and diverse pool of talent. Through our Flexibility Works proposition launched earlier this year we have a range of options for our people including reduced hours, more informal everyday flexibility and increased flexibility for bank holidays. In addition, from 1st January 2024 all our jobs will default to be available for job sharing, regardless of role or level. We believe that it is not just about attracting new talent but enabling people to take their flexible patterns with them as they progress in their careers.”

Earlier this year the CIPD reported that 4 million people in the UK are leaving their jobs, specifically citing the lack of opportunity to work flexibly, and 2 million leaving their sectors for good.

10 key trends from this year’s Flexible Jobs Index:

  1. Part-time  is still largely only advertised as an option for lower-paying jobs:
    • Part-time arrangements are more than twice as common in jobs paid £20k-£34k FTE (15%), than those paid £35k-£59k FTE (7%)
    • And three times more common compared to those paid £60k or more (5%)
  2. Home-working (including hybrid working) tends to be offered in higher salary bands:
    Timewise says this is evidence of the UK jobs market dividing into ‘Flex Haves’ (office workers) and ‘Flex Have Nots’ (frontline workers).

  3. Most sought after forms of flex are frozen:
    Just 12% of UK job ads offer part-time hours – the exact same volume as 2022.
    And just 12% of UK job ads offer remote working options – again the exact same volume as 2022.

  4. Hybrid – slow rise:
    7% of job adverts offer hybrid working, compared to 5% last year. A slight increase.

  5. The Four Day Week – hasn’t translated into recruitment yet:
    Mentions of a ‘4 day week’ in job adverts – ie. offering four days, but paying 5, were so negligible as to be omitted from analysis. This could be because the market is still in its infancy.

  6. Best sectors in which to find flex:
    Sectors offering the highest rates of flexible job vacancies are social services jobs (45 per cent) and health-related roles (38 per cent). However these are also often sectors with highest levels of insecure work.

  7. A key trend in a frontline industry:
    Hospitality now ranks alongside the above public service sectors as having a higher than average rate of flexible vacancies, having leapt from 33% last year to 43% in 2023. This may reflect labour shortages in the sector, and possibly also businesses running on reduced hours to cope with lower demand in the tough economic climate.

  8. Best job types for flex:
    Many office roles have higher than average rates, led by HR (39%), finance (38%) and marketing (38%). Hybrid working is naturally particularly prevalent here.

  9. Worst role types for flex:
    Role categories with rates well below average include construction (10%), manufacturing (11%), and maintenance/repair (13%).

  10. UK picture:
    The availability of flexible job vacancies is broadly similar across the UK, but with Wales (35%) and the South West (36%) slightly out in front. Northern Ireland (28%), Greater London (29%), Yorkshire & the Humber (30%), the East of England (30%) all have rates slightly below the UK average (31%). 

ENDS

For more information, interviews or case studies please contact Jo Burkill on jo.burkill@timewise.co.uk / 07960 472097

Notes to editors

1 Methodology: the Timewise Flexible Jobs Index 2023 is based on analysis of over 5.7 million UK vacancies, advertised on job boards between 1st January and 30th June 2023. The data source is Lightcast, and job adverts were filtered using 19 keywords relating to different forms of flexible working. As our aim is to track employer behaviour in offering flexible working for quality jobs (rather than in insecure jobs where flexibility is common and pay is often below national living wage), the following types of contracts are excluded from the analysis where it has been possible to identify them: self-employed, freelance, zero hours, commission only and temporary posts. We have also excluded all job adverts paid less than £20,000 per annum – a proxy for the national living wage.

2  From p.9 of the 2023 Timewise Flexible Jobs Index: “The rate of flexible jobs in 2023 (31%) represents a negligible increase on the previous year. The impact of the pandemic has plateaued. During 2020 and 2021, forced home-working and the subsequent shift to ‘hybrid working’ for many jobs led to increases of around 4 percentage points per year. But this has not developed into longer term momentum towards a more flexible workplace.”

3 From page 9 of the 2023 Timewise Flexible Jobs Index: proportion of flexible jobs advertised shows that growth was slow but steady, until the pandemic accelerate change:

2015 10 per cent
2016 11 per cent
2017 12 per cent
2018 13 per cent
2019 15 per cent
2020 (Q1 pre pandemic) 17 per cent
2021 (Q1 lockdown) 24 per cent
2022 (post pandemic) 30 per cent
2023 31 per cent

4 In the research, 69% of UK job ads posted included no flexible working options whatsoever, accounting for nearly 7 in 10 of all roles advertised.

5 According to the 2023 Flexible and Hybrid Preferences report from the CIPD,  6 in 10 employees already work flexibly in some way: https://www.cipd.org/uk/knowledge/reports/flexible-hybrid-working-2023/

6 Timewise commissioned a survey from ComRes in 2017, 3,001 UK adults online between 13th and 26th June 2017. Within these sub-samples: 1,250 full-time employees; 750 part-time employees; 500 self-employed people; 501 people who were not working but wanted to work. All participants were aged 18+. The data for full-time employees and for part time employees was weighted to be representative of the UK working population for those employment types; other data were unweighted.

Monday 30 October, 2023: Timewise are delighted to announce that Claire Campbell FCIPD, one of our two job-sharing Consultancy Directors, has been appointed CEO of Timewise.

As the Timewise CEO, Claire will lead our strategy, and engage employers, funders and sector bodies in discussions around our important work. An experienced specialist in organisational design, she has run many large consultancy projects and innovation programmes for Timewise, for organisations ranging from the NHS and energy providers, to transport organisations and local and national governments. 

Claire is a former civil service HR Director, where she led on resourcing and talent in DWP and DECC, following an earlier career in HR consulting. She has a Masters in Occupational Psychology and is a Fellow of the CIPD.

Using job design to create fairer, healthier and more flexible workplaces is her driving passion – and she lives what she believes, working four days per week in both her previous and current roles.

She will work alongside Interim CEO Abi Levitt in a handover period, as she transitions from her client-facing work to taking over the day-to-day running of the business.

Amy Butterworth, Claire’s current job share partner will expand her role lead the Consultancy team solo, with responsibility for delivery of the work programme and our team of flexible working experts. Between them, Amy and Claire have 12 years experience of working at Timewise.”

Emma Stewart MBE, one of Timewise’s founders, says: “Karen and I are thrilled to pass the baton to Claire. Having worked alongside her closely for a number of years, we know that the desire to build fairer flexible futures is hard-wired into Claire’s DNA. Claire leads on innovation within Timewise and has pioneered the programmes that have built our reputation for excellence. It is absolutely right for Claire to lead the team and take Timewise into a new phase.”

And Claire says: “Amy and I, and the whole Timewise team are united by the passion to make work better. Timewise is my second family, and it is an honour to step up and lead the organisation. And what a time to do it – with heated debates taking place over the UK’s hybrid future, new legislation giving workers greater voice, and a focus on wellbeing and ESG bringing job design up the agenda.

“Timewise has always been willing to tackle the challenges around job design, worker autonomy and fairer work practices, particularly in sectors where flexible working can be hard to offer. And we are really well-known for our pioneering pilots and world-leading innovation around working patterns, in hard-to flex frontline sectors like construction, nursing and retail.

“Looking ahead, this is where I want to build even further; to play a major part in helping employers in all sectors achieve the vision of fairer flexible futures for all.  I’ll also make sure we continue to share our knowledge, experience and learnings, and create a community of forward-thinking HR Managers, DEI leads and Operational Leaders through our Gamechangers network. “Work with Timewise, and you work with the best. And only will you be partnering with some of the most experienced people in the flexible working sphere, you’ll also be supporting a social business which is committed to reinvesting our profits into our work.”

ENDS

For more information, interviews or case studies please contact Jo Burkill on jo.burkill@timewise.co.uk or 07960 472097.

  • The right to ask for flexible working on Day One in a new job is due to come into effect via the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill, thought likely to achieve Royal Assent imminently.
  • New survey of 4K workers by Timewise finds that younger workers, parents, carers and people from minority ethnic groups are amongst the MOST likely to use the new rights to ask for flexible working on Day One.
  • HR teams are advised to ‘get ahead of the legislation’ – not only in terms of being prepared for requests after hires are made, but in terms of using the opportunity to reach a more diverse pool of talent in the first place and ensure they feel included.

Thursday 29 June, 2023: 1 in 2 UK workers say they would consider using their incoming new flexible working rights, which will allow people to ask for a flexible pattern from Day One in a new role, when this passes into law (49 per cent)1.  

Social enterprise and flexible working experts Timewise are urging employers to ‘prepare hiring teams thoroughly’  given this latest evidence suggesting that take-up rates are likely to be high.
Timewise has interviewed 4,001 UK workers2, to assess the potential impact of Day One Flex rights when they pass into law via the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill – largely expected to happen very soon.  

Who is most likely to use the flexible working rights?

The survey suggests more than a quarter of UK workers are already aware of the legislation (29 per cent)3. That awareness varies greatly by age:

  • Workers aged 18-24 have the highest awareness (41 per cent have heard of it)4.
  • The over 50s, a group known to need flexible working greatly, have the least awareness of any age group (72 per cent have not heard of it)4.

Workers with dependent children or unpaid caring responsibilities were more likely to say they would consider taking advantage of the Day One Right to Request when applying for a new role (53 per cent versus 45 per cent)5

Furthermore, we found a strong connection between ethnicity and the likelihood of taking-up the new rights: 61 per cent of workers from Black, Asian and Mixed Ethnic backgrounds said they would consider making a request from Day One in a new job compared to 48 per cent of workers from a White background. And, among those from Black minority backgrounds, the interest in the rights grows even stronger – with 71 per cent expressing an interest in leveraging the new legislation in a new employment setting6.

Timewise says this difference may be indicative of workers from Black and other ethnic minorities feeling like they cannot speak to their bosses about adjusting their working patterns. More than a third (37 per cent) of workers from Black, Asian and Mixed Ethnic backgrounds backgrounds say they would NOT feel comfortable talking to their current employers about changing their working pattern. Only 28 per cent of workers from a white background feel the same7.

Dr Sarah Dauncey, Head of Partnerships at Timewise says: “Our statistics shows that employers urgently need to consider flexible working in the context of their diversity and inclusion priorities.  It suggests that groups of workers are unhappy with their current working arrangements and are highly likely to utilise their newly gained rights to improve their situation. Employers need to take heed to get on the front foot, ensuring that all workers have a degree of autonomy and control over their working patterns. Managed well, the new incoming flexible working rights could really open doors to older workers and those from minority ethnic backgrounds. Managed badly, and inequalities could widen.”

Dr Shabna Begum is Director of Research at Runnymede Trust and says: “Many Black and minority ethnic workers experience the labour market on unequal and unfair terms, the right to Day One flexible working would be a welcome enhancement to support those workers who might experience their workplace environment as unfriendly or sometimes hostile, and provide them the confidence they need to access better conditions.”

Who’ll want to use it? Don’t workers have more flex post-pandemic, anyway?

Timewise’s research reveals that many people have no access to flexible working, or had access in the pandemic – but have since lost it.

Just one third of workers gained flexible working arrangements during the pandemic, are still in the same jobs, and still have their pandemic-gained flex (33 per cent)8.

While 53 per cent believe their post pandemic flex is now permanent.

12 per cent of respondents said they gained flexible working arrangements in the pandemic – but have subsequently had them taken away already.

Just 32 per cent of workers in routine and semi-routine occupations eg – postal workers, machine operatives and security guards gained any flex in the pandemic at all.

ENDS

For more information, interviews or case studies please contact Jo Burkill on jo.burkill@timewise.co.uk or 07960 472097.

Notes to editors

1 Respondents were asked: “Would you consider taking advantage of the new day one right to request if you applied for a new role?”

49 per cent said yes
30 per cent said not sure
21 per cent said no

2 About the research: Timewise instructed Opinium to undertake the fieldwork. 4,001 adults in work were interviewed online between 27 March and 9 April 2023. The data is weighted to be nationally representative of the UK working population.

3 Respondents were asked if they had heard of the new flexible working rights:
12 per cent said yes and knew what they were about
17 per cent said yes, but were not sure what they were about (net 29% for ‘yes’)

6 per cent said no
7 per cent said not sure

4 Respondents were asked if they had heard of the new flexible working rights, answers broken down by age:

18-24 year olds
49 per cent said no
11 per cent said not sure
41 per cent net: yes

25-34 year olds
60 per cent said no
6 per cent said not sure
35 per cent net: yes

35-49 year olds
66 per cent said no
7 per cent said not sure
27 per cent net: yes

50+
72 per cent said no
6 per cent said not sure
22 per cent net: yes

5 Respondents were asked: would you consider taking advantage of the new day one right to request if you applied for a new role?

18-24 year olds
23 per centsaid no
23 per cent said not sure
54 per cent said yes

25-34 year olds
19 per cent said no
22 per cent said not sure
59 per cent yes

35-49 year olds
18 per cent said no
30 per cent said not sure
52 per cent yes

50+
24 per cent said no
37 per cent said not sure
39 per cent yes

6  Respondents were asked: would you consider taking advantage of the new day one right to request if you applied for a new role?

Respondents of a White ethnic background: 48 per cent said yes
Respondents with Mixed or Multiple ethnic backgrounds: 69 per cent said yes
Respondents of a Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African ethnic background: 71 per cent said yes
Respondents of Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh ethnic background: 60 per cent said yes
Ethnic minorities: 61 per cent agreed

7 Respondents (excluding self-employed) were asked: “To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement?” I would not feel comfortable to speak to my employer about changing my working pattern (e.g. having a different start time)

Respondents of a White ethnic background: 28 per cent agreed
Respondents with Mixed or Multiple ethnic backgrounds : 32 per cent agreed
Respondents of a Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African ethnic background: 34 per cent agreed
Respondents of Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh ethnic background: 39 per cent agreed
Ethnic minorities: 37 per cent agreed

8 Respondents (excluding self-employed) were asked: ‘Thinking of flexible working arrangements, and how the pandemic might have affected these, which of the statements best applies to you’:

I am no longer in the same job / I was not in employment in the pandemic – 17 per cent
I gained flexible working arrangements during the pandemic but have subsequently lost them – 12 per cent
I gained flexible working arrangements during the pandemic and have maintained them – 33 per cent
I did not gain flexible working arrangements during the pandemic – 37 per cent
Other – 2 per cent

9 Respondents who said they gained flexible working arrangements during the pandemic, were asked: “Do you feel like your employer is trying to reduce these, or will try in the future to reduce these?”

32 per cent said yes
53 per cent said no
15 per cent said not sure

  • BECTU Vision and the social enterprise Timewise announce partnership to tackle the long-hours norm in film and TV, supported by Screen Scotland and The Film and TV Charity, in collaboration with BBC Drama.
  • Starting with the publication of a new report today, with advice on ‘making flexible working work’ on productions, following 6 months of interviews with production teams & crew on four scripted dramas.
  • Timewise will now create a blueprint for potential shorter working days, by consulting with the production teams of two BBC Dramas; Vigil 2 from World Productions and Shetland 8 from Silverprint Pictures.
  • Webinar to be held on Thursday 30th March, 1000 -1130 to share the findings of the report and info on the upcoming Shorter Working Hours project. Register here: https://bit.ly/Flex_Webinar.

London, 23 March 2023:  The social enterprise Timewise and BECTU Vision are leading a 3-phase practical drive to tackle the long-hours norm in film and TV, supported by Screen Scotland and The Film and TV Charity, in collaboration with BBC Drama. 

Phase One has just come to a close: a series of in-depth interviews held over the course of six months with a range of industry experts including commissioners, heads of production and directors alongside production teams and crew on four scripted dramas in Scotland, about their working hours and the impact on their lives.

The resulting new report, called: ‘How to make flexible working work within the television and film industry’, finds that:

  • There is an assumption that the standard 11-hour day is the only viable way to work, based on commercial considerations in how dramas are commissioned, though there is no known evidence to support this.
  • Film and TV employees work some of the longest hours in the UK. With 86% of people in the industry experiencing mental health issues1.
  • The long hours culture is causing talent shortages which, coupled with increasing production growth post pandemic is  threatening the industry. The situation is acknowledged by many industry insiders to be unsustainable.
  • Interviewees highlighted that flexible working is a key part of the solution to fixing the talent crisis and already exists in pockets in the industry, post-pandemic – but little has been documented or shared. 
  • Contributors said that the key area for focus should be working out how to reduce the length of the working day. Yet to date, no models have been developed to test this. 

Timewise and BECTU Vision believe that preventing the loss of experienced crew due to the long hours is key, and that these losses could be: ‘stopped in their tracks’ through improved working patterns.

Greater use of flexible working and shorter working days could also potentially ease the pressure on crew, help production companies support wellbeing and foster greater creativity. Yet to date there has been resistance to trialling this approach due to the perceived additional costs it could bring.

Phase Two begins now.  Flexible working experts Timewise and BECTU Vision now begin:

  1. Surveying Scripted crew across the UK to assess what kind of adjusted working patterns would suit their lives best.
  1. Identifying any informal existing instances of individuals and production companies reducing the length of the working day in drama productions.
  1. Reviewing the wider commercial considerations with commissioners, production companies and key industry stakeholders.

Timewise and BECTU Vision will then, with the support of production teams from Vigil 2 (World Productions) and Shetland 8 (Silverprint Pictures), create two parallel shorter working day production schedules and budgets, to develop a blueprint for how to create and deliver a shorter working hours production.

Timewise has had success in other workplaces thought to be ‘impossible to flex’ in; including nursing, retail, media newsrooms, teaching and construction sites.

All face similar recruitment, retention and wellbeing challenges. All pilots have seen large increases in wellbeing, cost savings through reduced sickness and increases in staff happiness.

Following the findings and evidence created from Phase 2, the intention is to stimulate the commissioning of a scripted drama to test the approach in real time, and to consult widely with key industry players on the feasibility of introducing such a model, which will be Phase 3.

BECTU Vision, Timewise and Screen Scotland are holding a webinar on Thursday 30th March, 1000 -1130 to share the findings of the report and information on the upcoming Shorter Working Hours project. You can register here to take part: https://bit.ly/Flex_Webinar.

Emma Stewart MBE, co-founder of Timewise, who has a background in film and TV says: “What if we could take the sector’s creativity and apply that to the way production schedules are created. When nearly 9 in 10 people in an industry are struggling with their mental health: action becomes necessary. Timewise was founded upon the principle that you can always find a better way to design how work gets done, and that this benefits employers and workers alike. We have worked with nurses on paediatric wards and builders on construction sites. If we can help them find better working patterns, I am hopeful we can do so for the film and TV community too, in a way that’s commercially viable.”

Amy Shaw, co-manager of BECTU Vision says: “At BECTU Vision we have been passionate about developing and delivering initiatives and supporting flexible working in film & TV for several years.   We are proud to have partnered with Timewise in the last year to create the Making Flexible Working Work Report and Guide published today to support and inspire productions and crew to create more flexible working opportunities.”

“As a former production crew member, I personally know the challenges the long hours on productions bring and the many stories of friends, colleagues and crew who have had to leave the industry because they could not fit their life and work alongside each other.”

“To now begin the next step and find some answers to the questions about shorter working hours that have been discussed by industry for so long is thrilling. This work is so important to move the conversations forward towards action and we are excited to explore new possibilities and test new potential models of work that could change the industry.”

Steven Little, Head of Production at Screen Scotland says: “The film and TV production sector has gone through a substantial growth period. Screen Scotland has invested record levels of National Lottery and Scottish Government funding to address the resulting skills shortage. The Timewise and BECTU Vision research will provide a blueprint for film and TV productions to improve working patterns and promote flexible working.  This is essential if we are to retain our highly skilled workforce, attract new talent and foster creativity and diversity into the industry.”

Rupert Jones-Lee, Head of Community and Equity, Film and TV Charity says: “We at the Film and TV Charity have seen in responses to our Looking Glass surveys strong evidence of the correlation between excessive working hours and poor levels of mental health and wellbeing among the industry workforce. We are delighted to be supporting this important work and look forward to using the insights it generates to inform our own offer going forwards.”

ENDS

For more information, copies of the two reports or case studies  please contact Jo Burkill on 07960 472097 or jo.burkill@timewise.co.uk.

Notes to editors

1 Looking Glass Report, The Film & TV Charity, 2020: https://filmtvcharity.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/The-Looking-Glass-Final-Report-Final.pdf


2 ONS, Families and the Labour Market, 2021: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/
datasets/familiesandthelabourmarketukmaindatasetusingthelabourforcesurveyandannualpopulationsurvey


Flexible Working and Shorter Working Hours for Scripted Drama Webinar:
More info & How to Join


Thursday 30th March // 1000 – 1130

Following the publication of Making Flexible Working Work in Film & TV, join BECTU Vision for a webinar to discuss flexible working and shorter working hours for the film & tv industry.

We will discuss the findings and share information about the support available to productions and crew members in Scotland to help make flexible working work.

You can also hear about the next chapter of the project: a Shorter Working Hours pilot funded by Screen Scotland and the Film & TV Charity.  This will involve working with two BBC productions filming in Scotland this year to create parallel shorter working hours budgets and schedules to give tangible evidence of the potential cost and schedule implications and creating guidance we can share with commissioners and production companies.

The speakers:

Amy Shaw, Co-Manager, BECTU Vision
Emma Stewart. Co-Founder, Timewise
Steven Little, Head of Production, Screen Scotland

Register here: https://bit.ly/Flex_Webinar

About Timewise
Timewise are the UK’s flexible working experts. A 17-year-old award-winning social enterprise with commercial expertise, Timewise works with employers, candidates, policymakers and influencers to create stronger, more inclusive workplaces, powered by flexible working.

It comprises of three elements: an experienced team of consultants who advise employers on job design, a specialist jobsite for good quality part-time and flexible roles with 80,000+ candidates and an innovation unit that produces world-class research on the UK labour market.

Timewise has a particular specialism in large, complex workforces with a high portion of shift-based workers. It runs real-life onsite pilots so employers can test their ideas and measure success, before rolling them out.

Timewise was founded in 2006, when two working mothers realised there was a gap in the UK jobs market, between the kind of flexibility people were searching for and what was available. This gap leads to social and financial inequality.

Timewise’s mission is to create a healthier, more equal society where everyone has access to good flexible and part-time work.

For many parents, carers, older workers or people with mental or physical health issues, full-time work just isn’t an option. The lack of flexible jobs in the UK, particularly for decently paid roles that offer some kind of progression, leaves them facing a stark choice: stay trapped in a low-paid flexible role, or don’t work at all.

About BECTU Vision
BECTU Vision is a skills hub for freelance film and TV crew in Scotland providing short courses and initiatives to upskill and support the workforce.  Our industry development initiatives lead the way in driving change for fairer, more flexible and sustainable workplaces.

BECTU Vision launched their Job-sharing initiative TakeTwo at the Edinburgh Film Festival in 2019 to support and promote job-sharing in film and TV and have been working since then to support both individuals and productions in Scotland create flexible work opportunities.

BECTU Vision is supported by Screen Scotland, BBC and Scottish Union Learning in partnership with Bectu.

  • 600,000 people are actively seeking jobs with part-time hours …2
  • …but don’t have enough roles to apply for: just 12 per cent of job vacancies in the UK offer part-time hours (156,000).3
  • Most of these offer a low rate of pay.4
  • 8.4m people now work part-time in the UK because they need to – whether to fit work with raising children, ill health, getting older, managing disabilities or caring for relatives – accounting for a quarter of the UK workforce.
  • This is a huge increase from just five years ago (5.8m).5
  • Many of these people feel trapped in roles beneath their level of skill and ability and would move jobs if more decently paid part-time roles were available.
  • Social enterprise Timewise is urging employers to offer part-time options up front in job ads to tap into this diverse pool of talent.
  • Statistics come from the 8th annual Timewise Flexible Jobs Index©, released today (29.11.22): analysis of 6 million UK job ads, to see what portion are offered with flexible options.3
  • Timewise produces the Index to cover a gap in labour market reporting by the Office for National Statistics.
  • Today’s Index has been released with supplementary research that probes employers on WHY they DON’T include flex options in job ads more often.6
  • Backed by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Lloyds Banking Group.
     

London, 29 November 2022:  The volume of people wanting part-time work is outstripping available part-time jobs 4:1, says social enterprise Timewise, in a complete inversion of the wider UK job market, whereby record numbers of vacancies remain unfilled, and employers report that they are struggling to hire.1

The mismatch between the size of the jobs market for part-time roles, and the growing volume of candidates who need such jobs is a key feature of the 8th annual Timewise Flexible Jobs Index© published today.

More than half a million people (600,000) are specifically seeking part-time work and competing over an estimated 156,000 decently paid part-time jobs.1

There is a far larger market of latent potential talent, too.  As our workforce ages and post-pandemic more people are balancing work due to caring or ill health, the number of people in the UK working part-time to fit with something crucial in life such as caring responsibilities or ill health has grown from 5.8m in 2017, to 8.4m in 2022 (a 45 per cent increase in 5 years).5  

Timewise say many feel stuck in roles far beneath their level of skill, experience and potential earnings.

The annual Timewise Flexible Jobs Index© analyses 6 million UK job ads to ascertain what portion of UK jobs offer flexible working options. It is produced by the social enterprise Timewise to try fill a knowledge gap in the Office for National Statistics’ own reporting data.

The wording of job ads are scrutinised for any reference to one of 19 keywords pertaining to flexible working, such as: ‘remote working’, ‘home working’, ‘job share’, ‘flexible shifts’ and ‘part-time’.3

This year the Index finds that just 3 in 10 UK job ads list any kind of flexible working options (30 per cent). This is just a 4 per cent increase upon last year. Furthermore:

  • Part-time is offered in just 12 per cent of UK job vacancies (1 in 8).
  • When you do see part-time, it is most prevalent in the lowest pay bands (22%), but falls by nearly half in roles offering more than £20k FTE (to 12%)…4
  • …creating the low pay ‘part-time trap’ for groups who need such jobs.
  • Part-time work is offered in just 6% of job adverts for £60k FTE or more.4
  • Despite the fact that 1 in 5 people now work regularly from home, just 12 per cent of job ads offer hybrid working.3
  • Home-working (or hybrid working) is offered more often at higher salary levels, peaking at 21% for roles paid £60k-£79k.4
  • It is an option in only 4% of the lowest paid jobs.4
  • Flexible working (where the form of flex is unspecified) has a flatter pattern across the salary bands, but is also highest for roles paid £60k-£79k.4

Why don’t more employers offer flex in job ads?

This year’s research includes an additional piece of analysis: an assessment of the potential impact on living standards, job mobility, under-employment and business access to talent and skills, should more decently paid jobs get advertised with part-time options.

This analysis is backed by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.6

It includes a survey of 1,000 employers to establish why flexible hiring isn’t more commonplace, with 20 follow-up qualitative interviews.6

Key findings:

  • 39 per cent of employers (nearly 2 in 5) say they have never offered flexible working within a job ad.6
  • The most common reason cited is ‘wanting to wait to negotiate flexibility post hire’ (24 per cent), followed by ‘we only offer flexible working to employees once we have got to know them’ (21 per cent).6
  •  Yet, this is a huge missed opportunity, particularly in terms of gender equality as 2 in 5 women will not apply for jobs, if they are not advertised with flexible working possibilities.7

What does this mean for living standards?

Creating more quality part-time jobs could be a simple fix to raising the living standards of over half a million people.

The lack of openly advertised flexible jobs puts parents, older workers and people with disabilities at particular disadvantage. 

Timewise estimates that more than half a million people in the UK specifically from these groups (521,000) are either out of work or in roles far beneath their true earning potential.

Furthermore, analysis by the Institute of Employment Studies (IES) on behalf of Timewise suggests that rates of poverty could be greatly impacted if more roles are advertised with flexible working options.8

Emma Stewart MBE, co-founder of Timewise comments:
“‘Trapped’ part-timers would apply in a heartbeat if they saw better part-time jobs available. They represent a deep, hidden pool of talent. Many are skilled and experienced. However, trying to attract them without including part-time options within the wording of your job ad is like going fishing without a net. If more employers tried offering quality jobs as flex from Day One, not only would they widen and diversify their talent pool, but they could help contribute to raising the living standards of thousands of people.”

Louise Woodruff, Senior Policy Adviser at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation says:
“This analysis shows the profound mismatch between the jobs people need, want and can deliver productively, and the jobs employers are offering by default. When we know that many employers are struggling to recruit, part-time and flexible work is something many more should be open to and our government should be supporting.

“Work should be a reliable route out of poverty, but too often it isn’t due to a lack of flexibility. This excludes many skilled and motivated people who need to balance work with other responsibilities or work flexibly due to ill health. Many employers benefit not only from employing people on a part-time or flexible basis but also from being able to attract a more diverse range of applicants by offering flexibility up front.”

Fiona Cannon, Group Sustainable Business Director, Lloyds Banking Group says:
“We are proud to support the Timewise Flexible Jobs Index 2022, which is now in its eighth year. At Lloyds Banking Group, we have taken a pro-active approach to agile working and recruitment for many years now and over 96% of our jobs offer a flexible option. Following the pandemic, we’re embedding new hybrid ways of working across our business, giving many of our colleagues the opportunity to benefit from a balance between home and office, in addition to other flexible options, such as job sharing. Flexible working is open to all, not just parents or carers – colleagues can use it as they need it, for example to study, volunteer or pursue a passion. Becoming a more agile organisation benefits everyone and is helping us to both meet the changing demands of our customers and attract new and diverse talent.”

ENDS

For more information, copies of the two reports or case studies please contact Jo Burkill on 07960 472097 or jo.burkill@timewise.co.uk.

Notes to editors

1 The Office for National Statistics does not collect data on how many vacancies are advertised with part-time or flexible options. The purpose of Timewise’s Flexible Jobs Index© is to fill this knowledge gap. This year’s Index, which is based on a sample of 6 million UK job ads, found that 12 per cent, or 1 in 8 jobs offered part-time working options.  We have applied that rate to the 1.3m unfilled UK vacancies reported on by the ONS in June 2022, to make the reasonable assumption that there must be approximately 156,000 part-time vacancies in the UK. We know from ONS data that 600,000 people in the UK are actively searching for part-time jobs – hence there are 4 people chasing every 1 part-time job.

2 600,000 people in the UK are actively searching for part-time jobs right now, according to ONS data.  500,000 are not in work and seeking part-time, specifically. 100,000 are working full-time but would prefer to find a part-time job. Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/labour-force-survey-annual-summary-report-2021

3 About the research: The Timewise Flexible Jobs Index© 2022 is based on analysis of over 6 million job adverts, posted in the period 01 January 2022 to 30 June 2022. The data source is Lightcast, and job adverts were filtered using 19 keywords relating to different forms of flexible working. The following types of contracts have been excluded from the analysis where it has been possible to identify them: self-employed, freelance, zero hours, commission only and temporary posts. Timewise has excluded all jobs paid less than £18,500 per annum (a proxy for the UK living wage rate, at the time of the analysis, of £9.50 per hour). It found that:
1 in 8 jobs offer part-time options (12 per cent)
1 in 8 jobs offer home-working (12 per cent).
1 in 10 jobs offer unspecified ‘flexible work’ (10 per cent)
Just 3 per cent offer flexible shifts

What do we mean by ‘flexible job’? In this report, ‘flexible job’ means any advertised vacancy that is either part-time or offers home-working, hybrid working, flexible start and finish times, flexible shift patterns, remote working, term-time, or jobshare. Additionally, jobs that offer ‘flexible working’ or ‘agile working’ are tracked; these tend to be full-time jobs where the employer is open to flexible working patterns by arrangement with the candidate.

4 The research found that part-time is fairly common amongst the lowest paid jobs (22%), but falls by nearly half above £20k FTE (to 12%) and is offered in only 6% of job adverts at £60k FTE or more.

Conversely, home-working (or hybrid working) is offered more often at higher salary levels, peaking at 21% for roles paid £60k-£79k. It is an option in only 4% of the lowest paid jobs.

Flexible working (where the form of flex is unspecified) has a flatter pattern across the salary bands, but is also highest for roles paid £60k-£79k.

5 Source: Labour Force Survey 2020-2021 https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/labour-force-survey-annual-summary-report-2021.

The supplementary research is entitled: ‘Can a more flexible jobs market raise the status and pay of part-time workers?’. Methodology: Using labour market data (Labour Force Survey 20/21,) Timewise looked at the impact on rates of poverty for parents, older workers and people with disabilities if a greater number of better paid part-time jobs were available. The analysis calculated how many of these groups have the qualifications and skills to do a quality-part time job, but are currently not, because they are either out of work or under-employed.  Timewise also surveyed 1,000 senior decision makers within businesses on offering flexible working in job adverts, and looked at whether any interventions could persuade them to change their practice, and additionally conducted qualitative, in-depth interviews with 20 employers.

7  From ‘Denied and discriminated against: the reality of flexible working for working mums’, published by the TUC in October 2021 https://www.tuc.org.uk/research-analysis/reports/denied-and-discriminated-against

8 Analysis by IES on behalf of Timewise combining data from FRS and HBAI suggests that if more quality part-time jobs were advertised the following groups would see their rates of poverty positively impacted:
Single parents.
Older worker.
People with disabilities.

There are 521,000 people in these groups, who have the qualifications to earn above the minimum pay threshold (assessed to be above £11.17 per hour, which equates to £20k FTE).  want to work part-time, but are either workless or working at a lower pay level. Of these 122,000 people are workless.

All else staying constant, poverty rates would fall significantly if workless people seeking part-time work had access to more quality part-time jobs. For workless single parents, the poverty rate could potentially fall from 70 percent to 10 percent; for coupled parents, from around 70 percent to 45 percent; for households with a disabled person from around 57 percent to around 7 percent; and for older people from around 56 percent to 13 percent.

  • One Year On’ review of the Timewise & Build UK ‘Construction Pioneers’ pilot to be published today, commissioned by CITB and four participating construction firms.
  • Programme was led by industry body Build UK and designed by flexible working experts Timewise.
  • Reviews the impact of rolling out different forms of flexible working, both offsite and onsite, with construction workers over the last year, i.e. since the pilots ended.
  • 4 major employers took part (the Pioneers): BAM Construct, BAM Nuttall, Skanska UK and Willmott Dixon.
  • ALL FOUR chose to continue with flexible working practices, once the pilots ended.
  • Flexible working has since been a key contributor to improving employee satisfaction and achieving a reduction in sickness absence rates.
  • Results from the 4 firms buck the industry-wide trend for worsening rates of sickness absence post-pandemic.

London, 27 July 2022: Four leading firms that took part in a ground-breaking flexible working pilot, designed to test different kinds of flexible working in construction ALL continued with flexible working practices, after the 18-month pilot ended. ALL now report a decline in the rate of sickness absence, with flexible working believed to be a contributing factor.
The social enterprise and flexible working experts Timewise today publish a review of the impact of the pilot, called ‘Making Construction a great place to work – a view one year on’.

The review was commissioned by CITB and the four Pioneer Partners – BAM Construct, BAM Nuttall, Skanska UK and Willmott Dixon.

The findings suggest that flexible working has had a number of positive impacts – for workers, in terms of reduced stress, increased well-being and for job satisfaction; and for firms, in terms of enhanced performance and notably, a reduction in sickness-related absence rates.

The Pioneer Partners all report results that buck the wider UK picture. Specifically:

  • Willmott Dixon say overall sickness absences have reduced by one third since 2019.
  • BAM Construct say overall sickness absences have reduced by one tenth.
  • Skanska UK report that one-day sickness absences have more than halved.
  • BAM Nuttall has seen one-day sickness absence reduce by a third.

By contrast, analysis of ONS data by Timewise shows that the national sickness absence rate in construction has increased post pandemic, from 1.4% in 2020 to 2.1% in 20211.

While flexible working won’t be the only factor reducing the sickness absence rates experienced by the four Pioneers, Timewise says the difference in the direction of travel is significant.

It is well known that sickness absences cost the industry millions of pounds a year – last estimated at £160m in 2018, as reported by the Health and Safety at Work Executive.

The report also highlights the next barriers for the construction industry to overcome, in terms of flexible working. Key among these being the need to ensure greater fairness, by finding a way to extend flexible working to the sub-contracted workforce.

Emma Stewart MBE, the co-founder of Timewise who led the Construction Pioneers pilot and the review says: “It’s great to see a reduction in sickness absence noted by all four Construction Pioneer firms, especially given that one of the main drivers for running the pilot programme came from concern around the sector’s poor record on mental health and well-being.  Some firms are also reporting increased productivity levels through the use of hybrid working where possible, which they feel is the result of having a happier workforce. Flexible working makes both business sense and common sense.”

Suzannah Nichol MBE is the chief executive of Build UK and commissioned the original pilot. She says: “Reducing the stresses of everyday life whether through less commuting, more suitable start and finish times, reduced hours or simply being able to attend an appointment without losing a day’s pay makes a huge difference. A happier workforce is more productive with greater job satisfaction, less sickness absence and better mental health – a virtuous circle that encourages more people to join our industry and enables businesses to grow. To realise these benefits your company needs to take the next step and trial flexible working – I promise you won’t regret it.”

Tim Balcon, CITB Chief Executive says:
“By being more flexible and inclusive, we will become a more diverse industry and open opportunities for our existing workforce, as well as new joiners from all backgrounds, to grow long lasting careers that will help meet the skills demand across the industry.”

Notes to editors

1 ONS, Sickness Absence in the UK Labour Market 2021, records absence rates for the construction industry of 1.7% in 2019, 1.4% in 2020 and 2.1% in 2021

About Timewise

Timewise is the UK’s leading flexible working consultancy and has been working for over 15 years with employers, recruiters, social change agents, policy makers and other stakeholders to design, implement and share innovative flexible working solutions that attract and retain talented, productive and happy people, and create fairer, inclusive workplaces. 

It is a social change business with a mission to create a healthier more equal society with a labour market where everyone has access to good flexible and part-time work. Millions of people seeking flexible work can’t access it, preventing them from progressing in work, moving to a new job or even entering the jobs market in the first place. The resulting structural inequality is a key driver for a range of wider socio-economic problems.  Our social consultancy model means that the profits we make are fed back into further research, fuelling the design of new or improved solutions and the development of campaigns for sharing insights and learnings, all designed to drive momentum, deepen impact and scale change.

  • The 10th annual Timewise Power List is published on Tuesday 10 May.
  • Profiling some of the most successful people in the UK who happen to work part-time.
  • Everyone on the List has been hired or promoted – on a part-time basis
  • This year’s List includes:
    • A scientist who worked on the Covid-19 vaccine
    • Job sharing intelligence chiefs
    • A doctor who returned to fight Covid-19 on the frontline.
  • Previous winners include Nicola Mendelsohn now VP at Facebook, Katie Bickerstaffe, now co-CEO at M&S & Lynn Rattigan, now COO of EY UKI.
  • New poll shows that whilst opinions are changing HALF the UK public still think top level part-time working isn’t possible1: and that there is stigma still to fight.
  • To mark a decade since the initiative began, Timewise aims to expand the initiative next year – to track 1,000 part-time experiences.

Tuesday 10 May 2022, London: The 10th annual Timewise Power List is being revealed today, charting the most successful people in the UK who have either been hired part-time from Day One, or promoted whilst working part-time.

See the full list here. This brand new List includes 4 people whose jobs include the ultimate responsibility: saving lives. They are:

  • ‘Vicky’ and ‘Emily’ – GCHQ’s job sharing deputy directors of Counter Terrorism, both mothers to young children, working 28hrs/wk each.
  • Dr Jane Edwards – a pioneering scientist who played a key part in efforts to develop a vaccine to combat Covid-19.
  • Dr Kerrie Thackray – a doctor who returned to the frontline during Covid-19, following 6 years out of work raising 5 children.

A new poll commissioned by Timewise to mark 10 years since the launch of the first list has found that half the UK public still ‘don’t believe it’s possible to have a part-time career’1 – though this portion has reduced since Timewise first asked the public this exact question a decade ago, prompting the search for the first ever list (in 2012) when 3 in 4 people thought it wasn’t possible.

Furthermore, nearly the same portion, 48 per cent of the UK public say they currently: “would not give a part-time colleague an ‘important or business critical task”2. Yet new analysis of ONS data on behalf of Timewise reveals that 750,0003 people now work in senior-level and business critical jobs in the UK, that are part-time (30hrs/wk or fewer). The winners of the List represent their skills, experience, talent and dedication to their jobs.

Part-time workers account for a quarter of the UK’s entire working population: 8 million people4. 9 in 10 people want flex in their next job5.

For 10 years, the Timewise Power List has found and profiled the real-life stories of more than 400 people who work part-time in top jobs, in a bid to change the conversation around part-time work from what isn’t possible: to what is.  Proving that part-time can mean ambitious, can mean senior – can even mean being the boss.

It is backed by EY, Diageo, Lloyds Banking Group and the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC). 

From next year onwards, Timewise will expand the work of the List, which is to capture real-life voices and experiences. It will run the UK’s first ever omnibus of part-time workers, capturing the voices of people in all kinds of part-time jobs.

Timewise CEO Melissa Jamieson says: “Working on the vaccine. Fighting terrorism. Saving lives on the frontline. The winners of this year’s Power List, our 10th in 10 years, prove beyond doubt that part-time workers come from a skilled and vital pool of talent that the UK needs.  They change the conversation from what isn’t possible when you work fewer hours, to what is. Flexible workers may be facing their toughest year yet, in terms of stigma. We must keep making sure their voices are heard and their experiences are understood.”

Lynn Rattigan, EY’s Chief Operating Officer in the UK & Ireland, comments: “We’re proud to have supported the Timewise Power List since its inception ten years ago. As long-standing supporters of flexible working, we’ve seen the benefits that agile working can bring to both our business and our people. Flexible working has enabled many of our people to build their careers while working part-time – whether to raise families, pursue a side-hustle, hobby or just have some extra time in their week.

“This year’s Timewise Power List winners are another impressive group of role models who are blazing a trail for others to follow. With many companies – including EY – transitioning to hybrid working post-pandemic, I hope that the Power List continues to inspire and prove what can be achieved.”

Laura Sawyer, Diageo’s Head of Talent Engagement in Europe says: “Congratulations to all the inspirational Year 10 Timewise Power List winners. Looking at this year’s strong entries, it’s clear businesses are recognising that the world of work is changing, and flexible working policies must change with it. Whether spending time with family, studying, or revisiting long-lost hobbies alongside our day-to-day work, flexibility empowers us to excel and be our best.”

Fiona Cannon OBE, Group Sustainable Business Director at Lloyds Banking Group comments: “Lloyds Banking Group has been honoured to support the unique Timewise Power List initiative over the years and would like to congratulate all of this year’s winners. The demands of the workplace continue to change, so it’s vital that all businesses recognise and value alternative ways of working. More employers need to open their roles to flexible possibilities at the point of advertising a job. At Lloyds Banking Group, we have taken a positive approach to agile working and recruitment and almost all of our vacancies are now advertised as being open to agile working options.”

Neil Carberry, Chief Executive of the REC, says: “Congratulations to this year’s Timewise Power List winners. Attitudes towards flexible forms of work have seen a major shift during the past two years. Now more people than ever recognise the value of flexibility – whether that’s in location or hours, part-time, job-sharing or temp work. And as this list shows, flexible working enables inclusive hiring and progression at all levels. In this tight labour market, employers should consider flexible working options for all their vacancies to help them find the best candidates, whatever their circumstances.”

-ENDS-

For more information please contact Jo Burkill – email: press@timewise.co.uk

Notes to editor

1 + 2 Methodology: ICM Unlimited interviewed 2,004 GB adults aged 18+ online from 1-4 April 2022. Data were weighted to be representative of GB adults by age, gender, region and socio-economic characteristics including SEG. ICM Unlimited is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.

3 Source: New analysis, based on data taken from Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) – estimates of hourly earnings excluding overtime and annual earnings by occupation for each percentile, UK,  available via ONS, which was last surveyed in April 2021. Paul Bivand, Associate Director, Statistics & Analysis at Learning & Work Institute analysed the data on behalf of Timewise in April 2022. The median salary of corporate managers and directors in the UK, i.e. people with ‘strategic responsibility’ within their jobs is £47,000 (FTE). £40,000 FTE was the benchmark Timewise used when looking at the equivalent data in 2012. £47,000 is the updated figure, taking into account wage inflation.

4 8,042,000 people in the UK currently work part-time hours, classed as 30hrs/wk or fewer by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Source – monthly labour market update, published in April 2022. See p.12: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/uklabourmarket/april2022

5 Taken from A Talent Imperative. Timewise commissioned the survey from ComRes, who interviewed 3,001 UK adults online between 13th and 26th June 2017. 

About Timewise

Timewise is the UK’s leading flexible working consultancy and has been working for over 15 years with employers, recruiters, social change agents, policy makers and other stakeholders to design, implement and share innovative flexible working solutions that attract and retain talented, productive and happy people, and create fairer, inclusive workplaces. 
It is a social change business with a mission to create a healthier more equal society with a labour market where everyone has access to good flexible and part-time work. Millions of people seeking flexible work can’t access it, preventing them from progressing in work, moving to a new job or even entering the jobs market in the first place. The resulting structural inequality is a key driver for a range of wider socio-economic problems.  Our social consultancy model means that the profits we make are fed back into further research, fuelling the design of new or improved solutions and the development of campaigns for sharing insights and learnings, all designed to drive momentum, deepen impact and scale change.

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