Research shows working fathers benefit from flexible working

Working Families, the work-life balance organisation, has published new research on the work and family lives of fathers, which reveals that flexible working can offer real benefits to working fathers.

 

The research was launched by Work and Pensions Minister Maria Miller, who commented that: "For far too long flexible working has been dismissed as a burden on business, when in fact the most successful businesses understand the important role it can play in recruiting and retaining the right staff.

 

"We need to move flexible working away from being the exception, to being considered a normal way to work.”

 

The research covered over a thousand fathers across the public and private sector, and its findings include: 

• Flexible working can lead to healthier and more committed employees in the private sector.
• Fathers working flexibly in the public sector are less troubled by their work-life balance, but current job insecurity means they are less likely to report higher levels of wellbeing and commitment.
• Fathers on a low income feel less stressed if they are able to work flexibly.

 

Working Families Chief Executive Sarah Jackson, said: “Our research shows that flexible working is good for fathers, good for families and good for business. We would urge fathers who are feeling stressed to look at the options available in their workplace.”