Industry news

Employers should welcome remote working, says expert

Employees are being urged to be more flexible when considering requests for remote working, it has been reported.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)/ KPMG Labour Market Outlook (LMO) survey revealed that more than two-thirds (69 per cent) of employers refuse to allow their staff to work from home, according to the Recruiter Magazine.

It is urging employers to become more accommodating and accept more requests for remote working, "rather than fostering a culture of presenteeism".

Gerwyn Davies, the CIPD's policy advisor, told the publication he believed firms should be more flexible with staff, as the appeal of home-working becomes greater due to the stress and financial constraint of commuting.

"Employers and line managers should therefore have more confidence in their staff, policies and in their own management capability to ensure that they recruit, retain and make the best use of the talent they have."

Up to five million workers were expected to take part in National Work From Home Day this month, which was organised to show how remote working should be a reality for most firms.