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Employers are struggling to fill skills shortages without offering flexible working, research has found. Photograph: Steve Vidler / Alamy/Alamy
Employers are struggling to fill skills shortages without offering flexible working, research has found. Photograph: Steve Vidler / Alamy/Alamy

British workers want flexible working - but only 6% of job ads offer it

This article is more than 8 years old

Research finds London is the worst, and Scotland is the best place to find decent-paying, flexible work

Fewer than one in 10 decently paid job vacancies in the UK mention flexible working options, according to a report that says skills-starved employers are failing to attract the best workers.

An estimated 14.1 million people in Britain want flexibility in their working hours or location, equivalent to almost half the working population, the consultancy and jobs site Timewise says. But its analysis of 3.5m job adverts found just 6.2% both mentioned a degree of flexibility and offered a salary deemed high enough to live on – the full time equivalent (FTE) of £20,000 or more.

The findings coincide with a separate report from the recruiters Manpower Group, which warns of a “critical shortfall” of qualified workers. It says the north of England is particularly vulnerable, undermining George Osborne’s ambitions to create a “northern powerhouse”.

The Timewise research, funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, said employers were failing to capitalise on changes to the way people work to get the skilled workers they need.

It found flexible job opportunities were best in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the north of England. London was the worst place to find decent-paying, flexible work.

Health job adverts top flexibility rankings

The analysis found the proportion of jobs advertised with flexible working options varied greatly by sector. Health and social care led the way, with 20% of jobs advertised offering flexibility. Education jobs were next, with 13% offering flexibility. The lowest ranked for flexibility were engineering and manufacturing jobs and creative roles, covering public relations, advertising and marketing.

Health and education jobs are leading the way in flexible working, according to research. Photograph: Timewise Flexible Jobs Index report

The report’s co-author and Timewise chief executive, Karen Mattison, said hiring practices were not reflecting the technological advances that had led to a “revolution” in the world of work:

“Businesses are missing out, as they consistently fail to realise just how important flexibility is to people looking for a new role,” she said. “This often results in the best talent having to trade down, and take jobs way beneath their level of skill and ability.”

Flexibility falls as pay rises

The research also found that flexibility declines at higher salary levels.

The research suggested options for flexible working fall as salaries rise. Photograph: Timewise Flexible Jobs Index

“Whilst there is a significant proportion of flexible roles advertised below £20,000 FTE, a candidate looking for flexible work below £30,000 FTE will find around twice the job opportunities (as a proportion of all jobs at that level), compared to a candidate looking for work at over £40,000 FTE,” the report says.

Official figures have pointed to an improving jobs market, with the number of people in work at 31 million, the highest since records began in 1971. But Manpower said those numbers failed to show the struggle many employers were having filling vacancies, especially in the north of England, where the chancellor has pledged to increase economic growth.

Manpower’s latest employment outlook, based on a survey of 2,100 UK employers, found that 6% intended to increase staffing levels, unchanged from three months ago. Hiring optimism in both north-west England and north-east England was above the national average but a rapidly worsening skills shortages meant northern employers could not fill vacant roles, the report says.

James Hick, the managing director at Manpower Group Solutions, said: “While many employers in the south can rely on a steady supply of workers, there are far fewer qualified candidates in the north. With a shortage of skilled trades, IT and engineering skills and employers looking to increase hiring in the coming quarter, skills shortages threaten to hamper business’ growth plans.

“George Osborne may dream of a northern powerhouse, but the reality will be a northern power cut if we don’t see more talent coming into the market.”

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