Flexible benefits ''on the rise''

There is strong demand for flexible benefits in the UK - and employers are beginning to respond and adapt.

According to The Work Foundation, many organisations have "changed quite quickly" in recent years to offer personally-tailored hours or contracts based on school terms.

However, associate director Stephen Overell believes there is still quite a way to go before flexible benefits are adopted by the majority of firms.

He was reacting to recent research by recruiter Hays, which found that 55 per cent of employers welcome government plans to force all companies to give flexible benefits to staff.

But 46 per cent of workers polled claimed their current paymaster is not forthcoming with this type of engagement at present.

Mr Overell said that flexible benefits are not a one-way street and can be as useful for employers as staff.

"Flexible working is often quite a good way to meet customer needs if they are beyond standard working hours," he explained.
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