Flexible working has hit the headlines again this week, with a new report revealing that nearly 87% of today’s UK full-time workforce either works flexibly, or wishes it did.

This is a massive shift in the way people now look at flexible work: it is no longer the preserve of women returners, but is rapidly gaining acceptance in the business world, with 4 in 5 men surveyed saying they would prefer more control over their working hours or are already working flexibly.

Joint CEO of Timewise says “If we look at the cold hard evidence, there are two critical points.

Firstly, flexible working is not just good for mothers. It has been proved to be hugely beneficial to businesses – from improving staff productivity, attraction and retention, as well as reducing travel and property costs.

Secondly, if we take a wide definition of flexible working – where, when and how much people work – we see that it is not purely the working pattern of choice for women with children.  The demand cuts across all ages and genders, across all life stages, and for a whole host of reasons.

We need to think again. Flexibility is not for the marginalised; it’s for the many. Timewise’s new research busts this ‘mum myth’ open once and for all.

It reveals that nearly 87% of today’s UK full time workforce either works flexibly, or wishes it did. That’s not a typo: almost 9 in every 10. And the gender gap is smaller than even we expected, with 84% of men and 91% of women preferring to work in this way.

So: newsflash! Flexible working in 2017 isn’t just for women – and it’s not just for parents of school-aged children either. It’s high on the priority list for full timers of all ages, with 72% of baby boomers, 88% of Generation X and a staggering 92% of millennials currently flexing in some way… or wanting to.

It’s clear, then: flexibility is what employees really, really want.”

Unfortunately, in Hampshire only 3% of jobs are currently offered as flexible at point of hire, against a national average of 9%.

Ten2Two Hampshire are campaigning with its new campaign Think Flex Works for flexible working policies to help create a foundation upon which to implement business, professional, organisational, cultural, social and political change.

We work with innovative leaders, influencers, campaigners, policy makers and professionals in Hampshire to promote the productivity and benefits of creating flexible jobs at the point of hire. We seek to effect real change by informing and supporting our local businesses in the drive to change cultures and think agile and flexible.

Ten2Two aims to give business managers and owners the information and support they need to attract professionals they may not have access to, and to assist them in implementing their strategy of change.

Follow Think Flex Works to keep up to date with the positive move towards more flexible working: https://www.thinkflexworks.co.uk/articles.