We’ve heard it before, the need to get that elusive ‘work-life balance’. And now, after the pandemic has shifted how we work, the government is focusing on helping people achieve this balance in the long-term.
What is flexible working?
Flexible working allows employees to structure their work day in way that suits their needs.
Many employees are parents, individuals with caring responsibilities, or simply people with interests outside work that impact on their time—and a flexible approach to work can have benefits for both your staff and your business, by allowing everyone to strike a better balance between work and home life.
Purpose of the consultation
The government is planning to develop a flexible working policy. And the first step is to identify the needs of various stakeholders, like employees with young children, people with disabilities, employers and various participants in the broader economy.
The findings of the consultation will be used to develop a policy framework that aims to:
- Respond to a changing business environment.
- Promote better work-life balance.
- Support greater labour market participation for parents and carers through family-friendly work practices.
What the government wants to know
This consultation wants to know the views of employers, like you, employees, and the wider public on the following:
- Issues that are most important to you in terms of flexible working.
- Types of flexible working arrangements currently in place—and the changes that you’d like to see.
- The potential impact of changes in technology, the workplace, family and society on flexible working arrangements.
- The changing nature of flexible working arrangements in light of the pandemic.
- Any potential obstacles that may exist for small, medium and large employers when facilitating flexible working arrangements.
It’s time to submit your views…
To submit your views, complete this short questionnaire on flexible working.
You can also submit detailed written submissions to flexibleworkingconsultation@equality.gov.ie (here’s the guidance on written submissions).
The closing date for receipt of submissions is Friday 28 May 2021 at 5pm.
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