The vast majority of British businesses are already providing flexible working – meaning more legislation is unnecessary, according to a new survey by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).

A whopping 89 per cent of businesses surveyed are offering some form of flexible working. The survey revealed that:

• 72 per cent offer part-time working




• 69 per cent offer variable working hours




• 38 per cent offer working from home.

In addition, 71 per cent of employers believe there has been some or a significant improvement in employee relations as a result of offering flexible working; 60 per cent reported improvements in staff retention while 58 per cent said there was increased productivity.

But 84 per cent of respondents do not have a formal written ‘work-life balance’ policy – a factor which, the BCC says, explains the perception gap between what businesses are doing and what politicians think they’re doing.

Sally Low, the BCC’s director of policy and external affairs, said: “This report clearly shows how disconnected politicians are from the reality of the UK’s workplaces.

“Business is well ahead of the current debate. The overwhelming majority of respondents to our survey are embracing flexibility because they understand clearly the benefits of providing flexible working to their employees, reporting improvements in employee relations, staff retention and productivity.

“The debate now needs to shift away from what employers are not doing to focus on what they are and try to identify the real barriers to greater flexibility. Those who aren’t providing flexibility for their staff lack the management confidence to restructure the way they manage their staff, only advice and support will rectify this while further regulation will impose a needless and onerous burden.”