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Right to request flexible working has been extended to all employees
As of yesterday the right to request flexible working has been extended to all employees in the UK.
In Scotland, this means more than 2.5 million workers will now have a right to request flexible working (provided they have worked in their organisation for at least 26 weeks). Prior to this only parents with children under the age of 17 (or 18 if the child is disabled), and those with certain caring responsibilities had the right to request flexible working.
The right to request is only that. Employers can still refuse a request but must have a sound business argument for doing so. Flexible working requests are a permanent change to working conditions and can include part-time working, compressed hours, job sharing, and homeworking etc. Despite many employers having a flexible working policy the uptake of flexible working in many workplaces is low, and is almost non-existent in more senior positions.
Lack of flexible working is one of the key causes of the gender pay gap. Women are more likely to have caring responsibilities for children, sick relatives, disabled people, or older people, and are therefore keen to secure flexible working in order to balance work with caring responsibilities. However, many women are afraid of what will happen to their career path if they try to work part-time, or ask to work flexibly, because they see few role models at senior levels doing this. There is also a perception that part-time workers are seen as uncommitted, unambitious, and unproductive. In many sectors, and for most job roles, it is extremely rare for jobs to be advertised on a part-time basis. This can act as a barrier to women seeking progression and promotion, and to applying for jobs in specific fields for which they are skilled.
However, for employers there are a number of benefits to providing good flexible working practices. Recent research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) found that when employers adopted flexible working practices there was a ‘positive impact on staff motivation and morale’ and importantly it helped to retain valuable skills and talent that would otherwise be lost to the business.
Perhaps the new regulation will support a change in attitude towards flexible working and challenge the rigid orthodox 9-5 working culture in Scotland and the UK. However, the extension to this statutory right must be administered and monitored effectively in the workplace so as not to have a detrimental impact on any individuals or groups of workers.
Acas have produced a code of practice to help employers administer flexible working requests and to make sure they consider the business benefits to supporting individual requests.
EVENTS: Scotland and UK wide
In this post you will find a selection of up and coming events and programmes relating to gender equality and women's participation in the labour market.
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Scottish Women’s Convention Referendum Conferences
SWC Referendum Conferences
Do you have enough information to make an informed decision?
Have the two campaigns addressed your issues?
Come along to these FREE events:
This is an opportunity for women to engage with YES Scotland and Better
Together representatives in their local area.
Thursday 17th July, 10am - 1pm, Inverness
Saturday 2nd August, 10am - 1pm, Greenock
Saturday 16th August, 10am
- 1pm, Orkney
Come along and ask your questions to both campaigns.
If you would like to attend any of these events or would like more information
please email info@scottishwomensconvention.org.
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Women in Renewable Energy Scotland (WiRES)
WiRES is a network for women working, or who would like to work, in the renewable energy sector in Scotland. Our aim is to support women's participation in the sector through information, education, and networking opportunities.
Pelamis Wave Power Ltd., Leith, Edinburgh
August 29, 10.00am-1.00pm
We are pleased to organise a site visit for women to Pelamis Wave Power, the world’s most advanced wave energy technology company.
We will hold a presentation/Q&A session, followed by a tour of the facilities, including Control room, Fabrication bay, and Component testing/hydraulics bay.
Please register your interest below. The agenda will be confirmed in due course.
Networking Event
September 25, 6.00pm-8.00pm - Edinburgh
We are delighted that Judith Patten will attend our September event in Edinburgh which will be an opportunity for networking and information sharing in a relaxed atmosphere.
Judith is the founder of All-Energy, the UK’s largest renewable energy event, and winner of Scottish Renewables' Outstanding Contribution award 2012.
Venue and agenda will be confirmed in due course.
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ENGENDER
Engender hosts a range of conferences, seminars, round-tables and discussions to explore women’s inequality, and share strategies to challenge it.
Some of events are members only, but all are welcome at their public events.
Inspiring Women: Masculinities
September 20, 2014, 11.00 – 13.00
Room 3, STUC, Glasgow
Only members can book this event. If you are a member of Engender, please sign in now to book.
Inspiring Women events bring Engender members together to consider and discuss feminist issues. They are women only spaces, and give women the opportunity to talk about their own ideas and perspectives.
This Inspiring Women will be discussing masculinities.
Masculinities and men are not the same thing. Masculinities refer to gender relations, the position of men and how people engage with that position. It is a commonly held belief that masculinity is innate and cannot be changed but there is significant evidence that there are multiple masculinities and that these change over time and that they are subject to influence.
This session gives Engender members an opportunity to reflect on the predominant masculinities in Scotland to day and how feminists can best engage with theories and practice around masculinities.
Inspiring Women: Pornography and new media
November 15, 2014, 11.00 – 13.00
The Melting Pot, Edinburgh
Only members can book this event. If you are a member of Engender, please sign in now to book.
Inspiring Women events bring Engender members together consider and discuss feminist issues. They are women only spaces, and give women the opportunity to talk about their own ideas and perspectives.
This Inspiring Women will be discussing pornography and new media.
The rise of the Internet and increased use of social media has provided millions of consumers with the opportunity to purchase and view pornography almost anonymously, and to share and abuse personal images.
This session offers an opportunity for Engender members to discuss the implications and consequences of pornography in the digital age.
___________________________________________________________________EQUATE SCOTLAND
Established in 2006, Equate Scotland is Scotland’s expert in gender equality in the fields of science, engineering, technology and the built environment. Based in the Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Creative Industries at Edinburgh Napier University we work across Scotland in education and employment.
Helping female engineers and their employers realise their full potential
This Autumn: A free three–day Career Enhancement Programme designed for women working in engineering and advanced manufacturing.
Teacher Building, 14 St Enoch Square, Glasgow G1 4DB - 10am - 4.30pm
It provides in-depth career development one day a month over three months, focusing on:
- identifying achievements and strengths
- building skills for effective communication
- unlocking leadership potential
The programme provides opportunities that will benefit both employers and employees from the engineering/advanced manufacturing sectors.
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