A leading flexible working charity has come up with a simple but brilliant way of making the world of flexi work a whole lot more transparent.
Given that an increasing number of families are two income households and that childcare costs, despite political chuntering to address them, spiral ever higher the Working Families organisation have taken an important step by borrowing from the success of the now ubiquitous equal opportunities employer strap line.
Their suggestion is that companies who are at home to, as it were, a more enlightened approach to work hours and practices say so proudly on their job ads with "Happy to Talk Flexible Working."
A slogan isn’t going to sort everything out on its own of course and the pressure group have also produced simple guidance about job design to help employers who are not yet flexible consider what the job really needs and what type of flexible working might work best.
But it's easy to underestimate the effect seeing a line like that in the jobs pages will begin to have. Employers who are happy to at least discuss flexible working will begin to be recognised and attract a wider pool of talent, leading in time to more and more following suit.
For the potential employee not only will they be able to see from the off who is taking a more family friendly language, they will avoid the dreaded situation of taking part in a recruitment and interview process with the issue of flexibility hanging over everyone. This lack of transparency isn't just frustrating but often a monumental waste of time for potential employee and employer alike.
We think its a great idea and can only help in helping job sharing gain even more momentum.
