Employees who promote a culture of flexibility are set to reap the benefits of a truly agile workforce, claims global talent and acquisition specialist Alexander Mann Solutions.
The recommendation comes in response to data from Timewise which shows that only 10% of advertised roles with a salary of over £20,000 are available on a flexible basis. For jobs with a salary of over £100,000, the figure falls to just 2%. This is despite the fact that 87% of all full-time workers in the UK either already work flexibly or would choose to if given the option.
Commenting on the findings, Laurie Padua, Director of Consulting at Alexander Mann Solutions, said: “By not promoting flexible working options at the earliest stages of the recruitment process, businesses risk failing to engage with a significant chunk of available talent. And while agile working has, historically, been seen as more viable at executive level, it is often the most highly-skilled, experienced and innovative professionals who choose to work atypical hours once they are established in their career.
“The reality is that many businesses are, in theory, happy to consider role flexibility at any level if it means that they are able to access the skills they need. But, likely unbeknownst to the powers that be, this is not reflected in the rigid, antiquated recruitment processes that are often being used by these same companies.
“In the future, searching for a job will be like building a holiday on Expedia. A candidate will be offered options based on past behaviours and other data, yet they will ultimately be offered the freedom to ‘build’ their own role based on their skills and availability.
“Fostering a culture of flexibility at senior level also has the added benefit of authentically demonstrating that flexible working is at the heart of wider business strategy, with leaders acting as role models rather than just paying lip service.”
