One of today’s main news stories is the report that mothers face more discrimination in work than any other group. Media coverage of “Fairness and Freedom: The Final Report of the Equalities Review” has been extensive and focuses mainly on the area of women in the workplace.
The statistics are shocking (a partnered women with a child under 11 is 45% less likely to be in work than a partnered man) , but I’m delighted that they raise awareness of a large group of talented and skilled people who could be making a valuable contribution to our economy.
However, I personally have concerns over some of the report’s implications . In particular I am concerned that yet more legislation for companies (and this is particularly an issue for smaller businesses) will actually act as a deterrent to employing women rather than incentivising them, undoing a lot of the good work this Government has done over the last few years (extended maternity leave and Working Tax Credits for example).
Of course we need to find ways of encouraging and facilitating women’s return to the workplace but personally I think a more beneficial approach is to looking at flexible working practices in general. By making flexible working practices more acceptable within the work environment not only can economic factors be addressed, but it can also help to address the employment needs of other sectors of society such as dads who want to work flexibly, carers and the disabled.
What are your comments and reactions to the report? What are your views on the subject? Are you an employer who finds it difficult to understand your legal obligations? Are you in favour of legislation because of a positive experience you’ve had? Whatever your opinion, join the debate by posting your comments and reactions below.
For further information here is link to the BBC’s coverage of the report and also a link to the report itself:
Equalities Review report: http://www.theequalitiesreview.org.uk/
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I think this will hinder the recruitment and retention of women even further. All this legislation is a nightmare for companies, particulary the small business. The government must start realising that women don't really want to be treated any differently to their male colleagues - this only makes the perception of them worse at line management level. What we really want and need is help on flexible child care arrangements - especially for the 11 to 16 yr old. I am not sure why the government think that once parents with children aged 11 and over don't have any child care needs. Actually this is the age bracket where it is most difficult to find suitable and flexible care. Also, this is when alot of people return to work when their children go to secondary school, but many have to turn down jobs, not because of the job or for discriminatory reasons, but plain and simple, it is because they can't find anyone to look after the children at the end of the school day or during the holidays. I wish that the government would ask us women what we want. As a director of a growing company, I am afraid that I could not employ someone on an annualised working hours contract. The word flexibility for women has gone too far. (katie Slater Director of A Brave New World Ltd) www.abravenewworld.co.uk
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