Almost three-quarters of employers have received requests for flexible working since April 2003 yet two-thirds of employers believe that the new law has had little impact on their business, according to research published today.

Employers also anticipate an increased demand from their workforce for flexible working over the next three years, with 73% of respondents expecting more of their employees to opt for flexible working patterns in future.

The Equal Opportunities Review survey examined maternity and paternity leave, adoption provision and flexible working arrangements provided by 117 employers, establishing how many organisations go beyond the legal minima.

It also found that women are much more likely to return to work after maternity leave if their employer offers more than the statutory minimum maternity provisions.

Key findings:

• Nine in 10 employers give women the opportunity to return to work from maternity leave on a part-time or job share basis.
  
• More than two-fifths offer enhanced maternity pay.
  
• Almost three-quarters allow pension entitlement to build up during additional maternity leave.
  
• The majority of maternity leavers (83% on average, although the median figure is 98%) are likely to return to employment.
  
• Seven in 10 organisations have given employees more generous adoption leave and pay since 2003.
  
• About a fifth did not provide paid paternity leave until legislation came into force in April 2003.
  
• More than half of employers pay fathers more than the statutory rate of paternity pay.
  
• Half the respondents have received requests for parental leave since April 2003.
  
• Almost seven in 10 organisations allow employees to temporarily reduce their hours and offer variable start and finish times.
  
• Seven in 10 do not want any further changes to be made to maternity, paternity and parental leave legislation.

“Women tend not to return to work for employers who have only provided the legal minima. The enhanced maternity pay arrangements reported by employers in our survey are an indication that these employers see improved maternity provision as playing an important role in staff retention,” said EOR writer/researcher Kate Godwin.