Over three-quarters of mums struggling to balance work-life balance over Christmas
December 19, 2007 by Andy Merrett · Leave a Comment
Yet more research which shows that British mums are struggling to achieve everything that they need to at work and home this Christmastime. 78% said they were feeling the strain.
The Citrix-sponsored survey found that the biggest thing mums believe would help them the most was flexible working options, such as negotiable working hours (39%), or home working (40%).
On an encouraging note, the survey suggests that employers are being sympathetic to the needs of working mums, with three out of four requests to work part time and work more flexible hours being granted. In addition, almost half of employers (48%) have accommodated requests from working mums to work from home.
Denise Tyler, editor of Mother@Work, a monthly webzine dedicated to working mothers, said, “Flexible working options can go a long way to helping mums cope with the stress of balancing work and home life. Parents with children under six have a legal right to request flexible work and it is extremely encouraging to see that so many requests for part time, flexi hours and home working are being accommodated by employers.”
New UK maternity legislation discourages business from employing women
August 2, 2007 by Andy Merrett · Leave a Comment
New research by the software company Citrix Online suggests that over half of the employers surveyed believe new maternity legislation introduced in Britain on 1st April this year is making some managers think twice about recruiting women.
34% of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) were unaware of the new legislation, which includes the extension of statutory maternity pay from 6 to 9 months, and the removal of qualifying criteria so that all mothers are entitled to 12 months of maternity leave.
30% of employers surveyed thought that it would be harder to retain talented women in the workforce, while 26% thought the latest changes would have a commercially negative impact.
