NEW research reveals that more than half of workers in Scotland desire greater flexibility in their jobs, and over one in three would consider term-time-only contracts.
A new YouGov poll commissioned by Amazon found that 51% of Scottish workers want more flexibility at work, while more than one in three (34%) with children would consider term-time-only working.
Almost half (44%) of those surveyed in Scotland said their current employer offered no opportunity for flexible work, and almost three quarters (74%) of working parents consider flexible working a priority when looking for their next job.
The study also shows that a better work-life balance (63%) and less commuting (53%) are among the other perceived benefits of flexibility for parents in Scotland.
By comparison, only 46% of working parents in the North East wanted more flexibility in their jobs, dropping to 45% in Wales. Across the UK, 48% of respondents said they would like their bosses to offer more flexible working options, while 35% said they would like the chance to pick their own shifts.
The survey follows Amazon’s recent expansion of its term-time working option, which offers flexible time off during the summer holidays, as well as around Christmas and Easter breaks, for parents, grandparents, and guardians of school-age children.
The company stated it launched the initiative following staff feedback, adding that term-time working is now available to “thousands” of its employees.
John Boumphrey, Amazon’s UK Country Manager, said: “These findings clearly demonstrate the huge importance of workplace flexibility, and why it matters so much to employees in Scotland and across the UK.”
The new Labour government has committed to ending ‘one-sided flexibility’ and ensuring that workers can benefit from technology to make flexible working common practice in the UK.
Earlier this year, new data showed that 67% of workers in Scotland said they work flexibly, compared to 46% pre-pandemic, with 71% saying that flexible working conditions benefited their organization.
Recent changes brought about by the Flexible Working Bill mean that employees now have the right to request flexible working from day one of a new job, with employers required to consider any requests and provide a reason before rejecting them.
