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Presenteeism within the UK's working culture needs to be challenged to enable flexible working to flourish, especially for small businesses, finds a new enquiry into flexible working.

The report from the All-Party Parliamentary Small Business Group (APPSBG), supported by ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and sponsored by the Federation of Small Business (FSB), also confirms that flexible working can benefit business - large and small.

Evidence submitted to the APPSBG showed that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are already using flexible working, but they often do not use this term. Also, employers do not always understand what their rights and responsibilities are if they use flexible working practices.

Andy Love MP, chair of the APPSBG, says: 'For flexible working to succeed, support needs to be given to small businesses; all employment law should be designed with small business in mind. Government should "think small first".

'Many small businesses claim that flexible working is a burden. The possible extension of the right to request flexible working to everyone could put an even bigger strain on SMEs, especially when the economy is beginning to emerge from recession.'

Helen Brand, ACCA chief executive, says: 'I am an advocate of flexible working. I try to work flexibly and lead by example. I can see the benefits flexible working brings to a global organisation, but I can also see how a small business could see a request for flexible working as an annoyance. But managed properly, it can work and does bring benefits.

'We have to remember that an SME owner has the right to refuse a flexible working request if it does not fit with their business model.'

The report into flexible working for SMEs offers 10 recommendations to make sure that flexible working works for everyone. These include:

• the perception that flexible working is an arrangement for parents and carers only needs to be challenged as it can cause resentment in the workplace among other employees
• any extension of the right to request flexible working should be on a voluntary basis. SMEs need a transition period to check their suitability for the scheme and to try to out new working models in practice
• the benefits system is too inflexible and does not support people who wish to work part time. The situation, where couples are often forced to take one full-time job instead of two part-time ones because of the way the system rewards full time working. In particular, part-time work should not simply be seen as something available to only low skills workers.

The enquiry took evidence from a range of experts in the small business and flexible working fields, including the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, British Chambers of Commerce, Small Business First, Working Families and Women Like Us.

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Notes to Editors
1. ACCA is proud to be providing secretarial support to the APPSBG. The Report on SME Access to Public Procurement is available on ACCA's website.
2. ACCA is the global body for professional accountants. We aim to offer business-relevant, first-choice qualifications to people of application, ability and ambition around the world who seek a rewarding career in accountancy, finance and management. We have 362,000 students and 131,500 members in 170 countries worldwide.
3. ACCA believes that globalisation of business means that one set of reporting standards is essential. We favour the principles-based IFRS.
4. ACCA understands the real issues facing small businesses as 63,000 of our members work in SMEs or small partnerships worldwide. 59% of our members in the UK work in or for a small and mediums-sized enterprise (SME) and we have over 100 years’ experience in understanding and supporting small firms.

 

 

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For further information please contact:

Helen Thompson, ACCA Newsroom +44 (0)20 7059 5759 +44 (0)7725 498654 helen.thompson@accaglobal.com Committee secretariat and contact for inquiries Veena Hudson, Head of Public Affairs + 44 (0)20 7059 5615 veena.hudson@accaglobal.com