Clean up the F-Word

Digital Mums train mums to have the digital skills that businesses require. By doing so, mums have a creative and flexible career to fit around family life. Digital Mums have begun a campaign to change the negative connotations surrounding flexible working.

Digital Mums have recently released new research that found 7 in 10 UK employees would like to have flexible working. The survey also found that over half the 2,000 adult respondents believe asking about flexible working would be frowned upon by their firm. As Kathryn Tyler, co-founder of Digital Mums, said: “The Government’s ‘right to request’ law will never make an impact while flexible working is seen as a dirty word and an employee perk.” The Digital Mums’ campaign digs their heels in further, by requesting the Government ‘clean up the F-word’ by changing the current flexible working definition to ‘work that works for employees and business’, believing: “a new definition will set us on a path to changing the way we work forever.”

Some of those surveyed believe the traditional 9 to 5 working world is lagging behind the benefits that technology brings to companies, such as remote working from home; as also discovered by Aviva UK’s recent research in their Working Lives report <https://broker.aviva.co.uk/news/article/545/aviva-working-lives-report-2..., where 23% employees surveyed would greatly value working from home for flexibility.

Digital Mums and Aviva UK’s reports have found that companies who offer flexible working help aides retention and recruitment. 37% of those surveyed by Aviva UK found an increase in happiness would be a top three outcome of being able to work flexibly, and one in three workers having the ability to manage their responsibilities outside of work more effectively.

Gareth Hemming, director of SME insurance at Aviva UK said: “Whilst flexible working may not be a practical option for all businesses, they may still be able to introduce some degrees of flexibility – even on an ad hoc basis that may be beneficial…The fact that our research suggests some employees are too afraid to ask for flexible working options suggests there is still some work to be done to create an open culture where employees can feel able to have conversations with their employers.”

The results from Aviva and Digital Mums research clearly shows there is a lot needed to be done to change the culture around flexible working. Flexible working is not a dirty word, nor is it an employee perk, but a necessity to bring balance and well being to both employee and employer. Employees should not feel afraid to ask their employer as it is their legal right to do so, the fact flexible working carries a burden and negative connotations demonstrates a need for a societal shift.

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