Member Article

Inflexible bosses are missing out on talent says Sheffield recruitment firm

Bosses are failing to get the most talented people for the job because they don’t seriously considering flexible working hours, says a Sheffield recruitment firm.

A survey by the Sheffield recruitment company reveals 92% of people say finding a job with flexible hours to suit childcare is one of their biggest career concerns. People looking after elderly or sick relatives also struggle.

Benchmark asked people for their top concern:

• Flexible hours to suit childcare - 38%
• Part time hours not available - 26%
• The cost of childcare - 19%
• Trying to be a good parent and employee at the same time – 11%
• Unsupportive management/colleagues – 3%
• Unsupportive family/friends – 3%
• Having the confidence to go back into the role – 0%

Louisa Harrison-Walker director of Benchmark said: “I am staggered by the number of women I speak to that are having to take jobs way below their capabilities because they are the only ones they can get to fit around childcare.

“In this day and age of remote technology surely we could start to be more accommodating? I am certain that employers are missing out on highly credible employees because they are not open to part time, slightly reduced hours or job shares.

“We know that parents face a very real struggle when getting back into work after having children. With four working mums and a dad in our own office, we had a rough idea of what to expect, but we know that other employers are not as forgiving when it comes to being a working parent.”

“We believe that there is a serious lack of senior, challenging, part-time roles in the job market at the moment, and that some employers are simply brushing great employees under the carpet once they have had children.

Benchmark’s survey comes as the TUC’s annual women’s conference warned that most of the best-paid occupations in Britain are ‘no-go’ areas for part-time workers.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .