According to a new enquiry into flexible working, the work-life balance for small businesses is achievable, but employee and employer culture and attitudes need to change.
The report, entitled ‘Flexible Working: Challenges for Business’, reveals that the UK’s existing working culture needs to be challenged to enable flexible working to flourish, especially within SMEs.
The report from the All-Party Parliamentary Small Business Group (APPSBG), sponsored by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), confirms that flexible working can benefit business – large and small.
Evidence submitted to the APPSBG showed that Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) are already using flexible working, but employers do not always understand what their rights and responsibilities are if they use flexible working practices.
Once businesses fully understand the benefits of flexible working, it’s believed that many will start to adopt the working practice more widely.
The enquiry took evidence from a range of experts in the small business and flexible working fields, including the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, British Chambers of Commerce, Small Business First, Working Families and Women Like Us.
Find out more about flexible working technology at the Interchange Group.
As featured on is4profit.com.