Firms 'embracing flexible working'

08 September 2008

Companies are increasingly offering people flexible working opportunities, a new study has found.

Categories: Working life  |  People management

More firms than ever before are offering employees the chance to work remotely, according to new research.

A study by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and Pertemps reveals that 46 per cent of employers now allow people to telework, compared to 14 per cent two years ago.

John Cridland, CBI deputy director-general, said: "Employers are embracing the benefits of flexible working, even as the economy heads into more uncertain times."

As technology improves and becomes more widely available, the trend towards home working "can only grow", he added.

The survey also found that other forms of flexible working have become more popular, with 93 per cent of employers offering at least one such option and 57 per cent providing three or more.

Last week, PricewaterhouseCoopers suggested offering people the chance to work flexibly during an economic downturn as an alternative to making them redundant.

According to the firm, retaining staff in this manner will avoid the cost of paying off staff and allow companies easy access to a pool of talent when the situation improves.ADNFCR-1459-ID-18769203-ADNFCR

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