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Talented parents are leaving the world of employment and setting up their own businesses, according to website Family Friendly Working.
Talented parents are leaving the world of employment and setting up their own businesses, according to website Family Friendly Working.
The website says that bosses are missing out on skilled employees due to a combination of the lack of flexible hours and the cost of childcare. It adds that parents who are leaving are continuing to develop their skills with the family, by retraining, and in their own businesses, with 68.4% saying they are better at multi-tasking, 65.3% saying their time management has improved and 55.3% developing promotion and marketing skills.
Some 45.3% said their communications skills had also improved since becoming parents; 39.2% said that they have developed their Financial Management Skills after leaving work and 37.6% claimed their Project Planning Skills had improved since leaving employment. In addition:
– 30.7% of parents claimed to have developed better Conflict Management Skills
– 20% said they had better Team Management Skills since leaving employment.
Director of Family Friendly Working Antonia Chitty said: “I know that I’ve developed my skills since I left employment and it looks like I’m not alone. Britain’s’ bosses need to think hard about offering more flexible work opportunities in order to make the most of talented parents.”
Parents completing the survey commented on their post-employment experiences:
“I have learnt a lot since then! More importantly I have learnt a lot about myself, maintaining a positive mental attitude, social networking, enterprise and more.”
“I ended up returning to education and finally getting the degree I always wanted.”
“Starting my business has meant my time management has to be good so that my children get the best of me and I still have time to put into work.”
“In 2006 I published my first book, with a five month old baby and two older kids. Truly a new start for me.”
“I retrained as reflexologist so had a complete career change. I had to learn about running my own business and marketing myself.”