Modern working for modern parents, says report

- Over half (53 per cent) say their current arrangements are ‘by necessity’ rather than choice

- 47 per cent of parents disagreed when asked whether parents have a choice whether to spend time with their children or at work. 31 per cent agreed

- 76 per cent of women say they have primary responsibility for their children

- 60 per cent of parents think fathers should spend more time with their children. Of the 45 per cent of fathers who haven’t taken up current paternity leave arrangements, 88 per cent said they would have liked to, but nearly half said they could not afford to

- Almost 70 per cent of fathers who took paternity leave say it improved the quality of family life, and 56 per cent say it led to them taking a greater role in caring for their children

- Only a quarter of women believe that mothers have the same access to good jobs, with 40 per cent of men agreeing

- Flexibility at work is important or very important to 88 per cent of women and 66 per cent of men

- 48 per cent of fathers, compared with 36 per cent of mothers, stated that flexible working is not available to them

- Half of parents think paternity leave should be longer; and a third want it to be better paid

- Half of men and 54 per cent of women support the option to transfer maternity leave allowance to fathers, and nearly 60 per cent of men and 67 per cent of women support the proposal for four extra weeks leave for fathers.

The report also shows that that flexible working is at “a tipping point” with 38 per cent having some form of flexibility. Over 50 per cent of these were through informal changes rather than a formal request for flexible working, but this was mostly because the flexible arrangement was already in place when people started their jobs, particularly for men.

The report says that Britain has a wider range of alternative ways of working than elsewhere in Europe, such as term-time working and compressed hours, but said that less than half of parents were aware they could request flexible working. It also pointed to a growing divide between workplaces were flexible working is normal and those where progress has been limited. The challenge now, says the EHRC, is to promote the benefits of flexible working and ensure that those working flexibly are not “pushed into a ghetto of low pay and poor prospects”. It calls for the right to request flexible working to be extended to everyone, not just parents, the right to request flexible working from day one of a new job, the introduction of a formal right to request a return to full-time work after a previous change in working hours and investment in training and guidance for managers to introduce flexibility in the workplace, as well as further efforts to promote flexible working.

Nicola Brewer, Chief Executive of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said: “Our report indicates some British employers are ahead of the legislation in terms of adopting modern ways of working and we're heading in the right direction on flexibility. The challenge now is to keep up the momentum in the face of the economic down turn, and extend the benefits to fit us for the upturn.

“But when it comes to modern approaches to parental leave, we may need to try a different route. Today we are proposing one of the most radical changes in our approach to parental leave in a decade. We have spoken to parents, to employers, to unions and to leading academic experts in the field, and we believe that the Working Better report lays out a road-map to 2020 which will put Britain ahead of the curve in terms of modern working practices.

“Flexibility is a tool many British businesses use to unlock talent. Changing the way we approach parental leave could be one way of tackling the gender pay gap. By supporting men to be good fathers as well as good employees, it would also help children do better at school and equips them for the world of work. And it would help families on lower incomes to balance work and the rest of their lives.”

Sarah Jackson, Chief Executive of Working Families commented: “Working Families wholeheartedly endorses the report’s call for the Right to Request flexible working to be extended to all employees.  Everybody needs work-life balance and flexible working should be seen as a business tool for success, not a concession for parents.   The facts and figures clearly show that flexible working is good for families and good for business.”

She added that the right to request parental leave should be available throughout the different stages of bringing up a child and not just in the first or early years. 

The CBI says it could cause a headache for HR managers if they have to change their systems three separate times.

 Family life survey begins
Some 50% of people in the UK feel that family life is harder today than it was 20 years ago, according to a survey for the charity 4children.

The survey also showed that 49% of people only see extended family members (including grandparents) twice a year or less. Other findings are:

- 22% feel tight finances are the biggest threat to family life

- 28% of respondents with parents and children feel torn between caring for their parents and their own children

-  27% think families' most urgent need is for advice and guidance, (traditionally provided by relatives) above other forms of state benefits.

-  61% think that families with elderly relatives do not get enough help from Government followed closely by 50% who think that families with disabled relatives do not get enough help from Government

The survey comes as the charity launches The Family Commission – Happy Familes Today and Tomorrow, to be chaired by Esther Rantzen. It will explore the big issues surrounding the extended family and the support it needs in the 21st century. It aims to talk to over 10,000 families around the country.

Anne Longfield OBE, Chief Executive of 4Children said: "The Family Commission comes at a time when the world for families is full of opportunity but also challenge. With a growing recognition that family circumstances have a dramatic impact on the outcomes and life chances of children, this study is searching for solutions. We know that the economic climate is creating real worry and hardship for many. Through The Family Commission, families will design their own solutions. Our challenge to all of us is to respond."

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