UNABLE TO SWITCH OFF

Flexible working conditions, culture of working over hours, and rise in technology means the boundaries between home and work life have blurred

WORKING parents are struggling to switch off from work. That’s according to a new report which surveyed more than 3,000 parents from across the UK.

The 2020 Modern Families Index found that a rise in flexible working practices coupled with a rise in modern communications, has meant that more than half of working parents think that the boundaries between home and work have become blurred.

Some 44% of parents check emails or do other work in the evening, with threequarters of these feeling that they have no choice in the matter. Almost half of all parents who work flexibly responded that that had probably increased the hours they spent working.

And 47% of working parents reported that technology has blurred the boundaries between work and home, whilst just one in four said that technology has not affected their work-home boundaries.

A lack of boundaries between home and work can have detrimental effects.

Parents in ‘work mode’ outside of their contracted hours were more likely to say they felt stressed (72%) compared to parents better able to switch off (20%).

Some 54% of parents who stayed in work mode said that work led to arguments with their children, while 57% said it caused arguments with their partner.

However only 7% of parents better able to switch off said work led to arguments with children and only 9% said it led to arguments with their partner.

It wasn’t all bad news - the analysis also found that overall the UK’s employers are moving toward more flexible and family friendly workplaces.

More than half (55%) of working parents said they felt confident discussing family-related issues with their employer, and 53% felt their line manager cared about their work-life balance - up from 47% and 45% in 2015 respectively. Jane van Zyl, CEO of Working Families, said: “The research makes clear that jobs need to be ‘human-sized.’

“Employers who design roles that can be done in their contracted hours and encourage ‘switching off’ will feel the benefit of happier, healthier workers.

“Requiring employers to be proactive about offering flexible and part-time roles could be a catalyst for better job design.

“This is what we believe will ultimately deliver a better work-life balance for parents and carers.”