Strive for flexible working

Finding a solution for would-be workers is crucial for potential employees.

For those in steady employment, it can be easy to take the dreaded Monday morning feeling of returning to the office for granted – but for the thousands of people facing barriers to entering the workforce, employment can feel like an unattainable dream.

With challenges to working ranging from lack of transportation to poor economic growth effects, those struggling to find employment are a diverse group.

Whatever the cause, unemployment can have serious repercussions on both a personal level, impacting family finances and being detrimental to health and relationships, and on a broader level, affecting communities and lowering a nation’s GDP.

For businesses facing hiring challenges, it can mean a significant pool of talent is lying untapped.

These ramifications make finding a solution for would-be workers crucial for potential employees and employers alike.

Engaging with and encouraging these groups of people back into the workplace is key, and one proven way to do this is by encouraging flexible working practices.

We take a look at types of employees who can be supported by access to flexible options:

Single parents

Childcare is expensive and with a single income, child care can become inaccessible to many singleparent families. Accommodating childcare pickups and drop-offs around traditional working hours and a commute can actively prevent single parents from taking certain roles.

This may mean they are forced to take a job with more schedule or shift flexibility but less employment protection and fewer advancement opportunities.

It is perhaps not surprising that IWG sees clear value in flexible working for working parents, but single parents can benefit greatly from this.

Older workers

Research shows that older workers can also struggle to find or maintain a job, mainly due to factors including poor health, discrimination and lack of training.

As retirement age continues to increase around the globe, it is important to find solutions to increase quality of life for workers who are in employment into their later years.

Disability

Health considerations and mobility can be another major barrier to entering the workplace for people with disabilities.

According to a study in American Behavioural Scientist, despite efforts to open up employment to those with disabilities, just 17.2% of people with a disability are in work, compared to 65% of those without a disability.

Access to work: beyond flexible working

The reasons an individual may face hurdles in entering the job market are as unique as the person themselves.

The results, however, are usually negative for all – and government, companies and communities share a responsibility to alleviate these problems.