Flexible working offered by 94 per cent of employers, says study

New research has found that 94 per cent of employers are offering their employees flexible working options, according to ft.com.

The data was found through a study carried out by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) which questioned 1,100 UK managers. As well as finding the majority of managers offered flexible working options, the study also discovered 82 per cent of those questioned said flexible working options brought benefits to their business.

Overall, 73 per cent said that their organisation was 'supportive' of flexible working, while 62 per cent said they had senior managers acting as role models when it came to working flexibly.

This can be anything from working from home to operating more flexible hours - and it can help when navigating through uncertainty in issues such as illness and looking after children.

Charles Elvin, chief executive of the ILM, said that the results reflected a change in how businesses are now run. He told hrmagazine.co.uk: "Work used to be a place you turned up to - now, it's increasingly something you can do anywhere, at any time."

He also claimed that employers are starting to realise the benefits, stating: "...more and more employers are recognising that a flexible approach to how, where and when their employees work offers real business benefits, including increased staff engagement, reduced overheads and the ability to meet their customer needs more fully."