ePolitix.com Stakeholders comment on the children's minister call for more flexible working hours.

Beverley Hughes suggested that all workers, not just parents, should have the right to request flexible working. She said that 29 million employees could benefit from an extension of existing rights.

Party Response: Liberal Democrats

Liberal Democrat trade and industry spokesman Susan Kramer said: "As the whole culture of work changes, flexible working should become more available. For many people, the nine to five routine is no longer necessary or relevant.

"Any proposals to extend flexible working will have to be handled with a dose of common sense so small businesses are not compromised by unreasonable rules."

Stakeholder Response: Carers UK

To send a comment to Carers UK click here

A spokesman said: "Carers UK and Employers for Carers campaigned hard to ensure that all carers have the right to request flexible working - instead of missing out around 75,000 who are not currently covered by the definition in the Work and Families Act 2006.  

"This proposal from Beverley Hughes would then cover those carers and we would, therefore, welcome the extension of the right to request flexible working to all workers. 

"Allowing all employees, in principle, the right to request flexible working is what most leading employers say they are already doing.

"However, those leading employers, from large corporates like BT to smaller businesses like Listawood, would also say that is is vital that carers have a strong internal profile and that there is a separate policy for them. 

"They argue, that in order to manage effectively, you need to know what the difference will make to a person's life if their request to work flexibly is granted.  

"For many carers, as the government has accepted, this will mean that they are still able to work, rather than having to give up work to care.  

"Clearly this makes economic sense for families as well as business and, of course, government."

Stakeholder Response: HCIMA

To send a comment to HICMA click here

A spokesman said: "While it is recognised that the impact of flexible working can be challenging, particularly for small or medium sized employers, we would support the view that a good employer should, wherever possible, provide the opportunity for flexible working within the constraints of the business that they operate.

"The flexibility of working arrangements often works in favour of employers who seek to source high quality employees who, because of their circumstances, are unable to work a standard 9-5 working week.

"The hospitality industry has long benefited, from the flexibility of employees in its sector, and appreciates the loyalty that is often generated by the understanding of an individuals particular employment needs.

"The initiative could potentially have the effect of increasing the labour market which would be welcome to many hard pressed employers."

Stakeholder response: CIPD

To send a comment to CIPD click here

Mike Emmott, CIPD employee relations adviser, said: "The existing right to request flexible working has been well received by employers, and has successfully encouraged rather than compelled employers to experiment with flexible working practices. 

"Employers who are willing to acknowledge the lives their employees lead outside work, and seek to accommodate those lives within the necessary constraints of their need to do business, are finding they can fish in a wider pool for labour. 

"And they’re finding the people they recruit are more likely to be motivated, and to wish to remain employed by the same firm, when they are allowed to work flexibly. 

"As with so many things, enlightened management of people can make a huge contribution to business performance.

"Our research shows that most employers are happy to agree the majority of such requests, and that two in five employers have already extended the right to request further than the legislation requires. 

"Given the benefits that can be gained, and the ultimate right of the employer to decline to grant requests if they will cause problems for the business, we back an extension of the right to request as a sensible extension of this existing light-touch approach to employment law.

"There may, indeed, be a greater risk in not extending the right to request. 

"By limiting this right to parents and carers, the government risks creating an unnecessarily divided work force, with other workers resenting the rights granted to their colleagues with children or caring responsibilities."

Stakeholder Response: FSB

To send a comment to the FSB click here

A spokesman said: "Small businesses are the original flexible employers and have generally always been flexible around childcare, elderly or other individual needs wherever possible.

"Flexible working is a clear case of where business practice is already ahead of legislation, although small businesses do have a finite capacity to accommodate flexible working requests.  It is for this reason that we would not welcome further flexible working legislation.

"There has been a rapid increase in employment legislation recently and small businesses are already preparing to absorb the impact of new regulation such as increased holiday entitlement and increased maternity and paternity leave. 

"According to the DTI, over 99 per cent of all businesses in the UK are small businesses and a deluge of flexible working requests and the resulting tribunal implications would put small businesses under immense pressure.

"If a business with three members of staff has to create a flexible working structure for one of their workers, this would effectively result in one third of the workforce missing for some of the time.

"It is important that a flexible labour market is retained in order to ensure that small businesses are in a position to offer employment in the first place - rapidly imposed and excessive employment legislation will only result in a drop in employment opportunities, whether part-time, job-shared or otherwise."