Operational issues are often a big concern for smaller businesses but these employers need to look beyond legislation and focus on the long-term benefits of offering a good maternity and paternity package. There are initial costs in terms of paying for cover but often the gains, such as greater staff loyalty and commitment, outweigh the costs.
Paternity leave was introduced a couple of years ago, giving fathers a statutory right to two weeks‘ paid leave. There was also an increase in leave for mothers, from 18 to 26 weeks‘ ordinary maternity leave, followed by 26 weeks‘ unpaid additional maternity leave, subject to qualification.
Using more expensive agency staff for maternity and paternity cover isn‘t the
only option as existing staff may want extra hours and responsibility or there
may be the option to use a university student or school-leaver to cover staff
There is an emphasis on family-friendly practices but it is not only children who are dependent on others. The government is planning to extend the flexible working rights to carers: in the UK, several million people already act as carers for elderly or disabled friends or members of their family.
There are further changes to the Work and Families Act that are due to come into force and these include:
•Extending maternity and adoption pay from six to nine months from April 2007
•Extending the right to request flexible working to carers of adults from April 2007
•Giving employed fathers a new right to up to 26 weeks‘ additional paternity leave, some of which could be paid if the mother then returns to work before using her full maternity leave allowance
•The introduction of measures to help employers manage the administration of leave and pay and to plan ahead with greater certainty from April 2007
The CIPD will be launching its own research in November, which will investigate employers‘ attitudes to these proposed changes. For further information visit www. dti.gov.uk/employment/workandfamilies.
Creative thinking
While these changes to legislation and flexible working more generally might appear harder for smaller organisations to implement, that does not always have to be the case. Employers should try to think laterally, for example using more expensive agency staff for maternity and paternity cover isn‘t the only option as existing staff may want extra hours and responsibility or there may be the option to use a university student or school-leaver to cover some of the hours and get some vital experience.
While legislation will undoubtedly help drive the work/life balance agenda forward, it is not the only driver of change. Employers are already under pressure to provide an improved work/life balance for employees and with 82% of businesses experiencing recruitment difficulties, this is a policy that makes sense if they want to recruit and retain the best people.
Research suggests offering employees more choice about their working patterns pays off in terms of greater commitment and better performance so flexible working is definitely something that should be considered if parents request to cut their hours once they return to work. This will help employers to widen their recruitment base and compete in the war for talent.
There will be circumstances where an organisation cannot meet an individual‘s specific request for flexible working, for example in a customer service role where telephone lines might need to be open from 8am to 6pm, it would be difficult to allow employees to work from home. While organisations should look at the possibility of alternative means of flexible working, employees also need to remember there is no automatic right to be granted flexible working hours.
It is also important in a team environment and in smaller organisations that the impact on other staff is considered, and that measures are put in place to mitigate these where necessary. Involving staff in decision-making and issuing clear guidelines and good communication (see case study) should help firms reach the right conclusion.
Business benefits
Offering good maternity/paternity packages and flexible working options can also be advantageous to both organisations and employees. They allow employees to gain more control over their work/life balance and they act as an important tool in the organisation‘s recruitment and retention process. Flexible working can be used to attract under-used groups, for example mothers, and a more diverse workforce.
Another area where providing improved work/life balance opportunities for staff can produce real benefits for organisations is in managing absence. There has been a huge increase in stress-related absence over the last decade. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) estimates that work-related stress and related conditions have more than doubled since 1990.
If employers are serious about reducing their absence rates and staff turnover - as well as complying with the law - it is important they look for solutions that take this growing problem into account. Flexible working is one option that can help employees find a balance between competing pressures in their lives, and therefore help deliver reduced absenteeism and improved loyalty and productivity.
Rebecca Clarke is organisation and resourcing adviser at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)