The last decade has seen an increase in the number of employees working from home with 4.2 million people now taking advantage of flexible working regulations.
The TUC found that whilst the number of people in employment has increased over the last ten years, that growth has been exceeded by the number of people working from a home – a figure that has increased by 800,000 since 2005.
Furthermore, the TUC estimates that another 1.8 million people would work from home if they had the opportunity.
TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “These figures show millions of British workers have adopted home working and are enjoying a better work-life balance, while saving time and money on costly commuting that benefits no-one.”
“Although organisations that have embraced home working often say that it has improved retention and productivity, there are still too many employers who are afraid to let their staff try it out.”
The TUC released their findings to coincide with ‘National Work from Home Day’, which took place on June 5th.
Further to the argument for a more flexible approach to work, a national survey found that 42% of men and 35% of women feel like their job has had a negative impact on their relationship with their children. It also found that 47% of working mothers and 39% of working fathers would be willing to take a pay cut in order to spend more time at home with their children.
Meanwhile another study has found that 47% of UK employees frequently find their weekends disrupted by work.
Our means of communication are continually evolving and shifting the definition of the workplace. With talent retention being a key issue for many businesses, the benefits that flexible working can offer are going to be increasingly difficult for employers to ignore.
