“Flexible workers are slackers” say colleagues
Flexible working rights were extended to all employees on 30th June, but a recent survey by Doyle Clayton, employment law specialists, shows that many colleagues think flexible workers are slackers.
The good news for millions of employees is that the government is giving them the statutory right to request flexible working arrangements from Monday 30th June 2014.
The bad news is that new research from leading employment solicitors Doyle Clayton has found that many of their colleagues will consider them an uncommitted team member and even a slacker if they decide to work from home or part-time.
The findings are based on research into over 1,000 employees and was conducted for Doyle Clayton by research agency Censuswide.
“While people may have the right to request flexible working, even if their employer is positive about it, they may well still have to contend with inflexible attitudes from their own colleagues – some of whom will think that your flexibility comes at the expense of more work for them,” said Employment partner at Doyle Clayton Jessica Corsi.
“Flexible working is a great way of keeping talented people, such as older workers and mums with young families, still engaged in the workforce. More generally, we can expect that as employers become more familiar and comfortable with it, it will become far more common for larger numbers of employees to work flexibly in the future.”
Findings from Doyle Clayton’s research included:
If an employee spends at least two days a week working from home, about a fifth (21%) of their colleagues think they are less committed than colleagues who work full time.
Almost a fifth (19%) of employees see colleagues who balance their job with caring for young children as less committed than other workers.
If an employee works part-time a fifth (19%) of their colleagues will perceive them as being a lot less committed than full time workers.
Doyle Clayton’s research findings:
| Q1. What would you say is your attitude towards colleagues who work full time and take responsibility for a young family: | Gender | ||
| All | Male | Female | |
| On the whole people who also have young families are more committed as team members compared to full time workers | 8.20% | 10.30% | 6.10% |
| On the whole people who also have young families are just as committed as team members compared to full time workers | 63.90% | 62.40% | 65.40% |
| On the whole people who also have young families are a lot less committed as team members compared to full time workers | 19.10% | 20.30% | 18.00% |
| Q2. What would you say is your attitude towards colleagues who work from home at least 2 days a week? | Gender | ||
| All | Male | Female | |
| On the whole people who work a lot from home are more committed as team members compared to full time workers | 8.10% | 9.50% | 6.70% |
| On the whole people who work a lot from home are just as committed as team members compared to full time workers | 59.80% | 58.80% | 60.90% |
| On the whole people who work a lot from home are a lot LESS committed as team members compared to full time workers | 21.20% | 23.30% | 19.20% |
| Q3. What would you say is your attitude towards colleagues who work part-time: | Gender | ||
| All | Male | Female | |
| On the whole people who work part-time are just as committed as team members compared to full time workers | 66.00% | 64.00% | 68.00% |
| On the whole people who work part-time are more committed as team members compared to full time workers | 6.30% | 6.80% | 5.70% |
| On the whole people who work part-time are a lot LESS committed as team members compared to full time workers | 18.60% | 21.30% | 16.00% |
Doyle Clayton is the largest specialist employment law firm in the UK. Founded in 1997, they specialise exclusively in all aspects of employment law and work principally advising senior executives and corporate clients, including many PLCs and household names.
