PRESS RELEASE: 1 in 2 UK workers WOULD consider asking for flex on Day One of a new job.

• 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