We want to hear from you

The aim is to paint a comprehensive picture of some of the big issues for working families and for women’s career progression.

Last year we included a raft of detailed questions on your experience of formally requesting flexible working. We found that over a quarter of mums in work [26%] had had a flexible working request turned down. Some 12 per cent said their employer did not even seem to consider their request at all and over a quarter [27%] said the reason given for turning down the request was not one which is allowable under flexible working legislation.

The data allowed us to highlight the weakness of current flexible working legislation. While we are keen to draw attention positive examples of flexible working and the myriad business benefits it brings, Workingmums.co.uk also receives hundreds of emails from those who are finding it difficult to get the flexible working they want or have it arbitrarily taken away. This shows the need for more action by policymakers to entrench flexible working if they want to take advantage of the range of skills the UK has to offer. At a time of skills shortage, it seems to make little sense not to offer ways of working that make it possible for a more diverse range of people to contribute to the UK economy.

This year we have included a section on your experiences of flexible working, whether you feel working part time means you miss out on chances for career progression, whether you feel your flexible working is viewed positively by your colleagues and whether you feel worried that flexible working will be taken away from you.

We are keen to hear from you and will use the data we receive to inform policymakers and others about the issues that are important to you.

29th August 2017 update: This survey is now closed, thanks to all those that took part.