Many businesses unaware of flexible working rules

A new study by YouGov on behalf of mobile workspace specialist Citrix shows that many small firms are unaware of changes in legislation which give employees the legal right to request flexible working from their employer.

According to the survey, 54 per cent of small businesses in Yorkshire do not have a flexible working policy.

The study also concluded that almost half (45 per cent) of small and medium business decision-makers in Britain remain unaware of significant changes to UK employment laws on flexible working.

In Yorkshire, 41 per cent of businesses support the new legislation. The survey also found that many small firms had significant concerns about the benefits. Only 11 per cent believe it will have a positive impact on their business, while 21 per cent believe it will have a negative impact.

According to the survey, issues surrounding trust and the perceived impact on culture are the main barriers to change, and not technology.

There are significant generational differences in attitude as SMB bosses 25 to 34 are twice as likely to support the legislation as those over 55

Andrew Millard, senior director international marketing, at Citrix, said: “Thanks to modern technology, putting efficient flexible working processes in place can be done both quickly and easily.”