News

February 19, 2010

Flexible working keeps staff healthy, study claims

Employees who can choose their own working hours are healthier because they suffer less stress, new research has claimed.

The research, consisting of ten different studies involving 16,000 people, found that mental health, blood pressure and sleep patterns were better among people who could control their own hours.

In one of the studies, police officers who could change their start time showed significant improvements in psychological well-being, compared to officers who had to start work at a fixed time. 

According to researchers at the Coleman Library, which published the results, flexible arrangements that increased workers' control and choice were likely to have a positive effect on health.

Smarter work organisation WorkWise UK's chief executive, Phil Flaxton, said giving people more choice over their working patterns generally produced more motivated staff who were less likely to fall ill. 

"Long commutes and working too many hours can all take their toll on people's health, and that can create problems for employers," he said. "There's also clear evidence to suggest that offering some level of flexibility, even if it's one day a week, can be a significant retention tool."

A Federation of Small Businesses spokesman said that many small firms already offered flexible hours to staff – particularly if they employed older people or parents.

"Most small businesses are aware that flexible working is popular with employees and can also deliver certain business benefits, like increased productivity and reduced absenteeism," he said. "The recession had also forced some businesses to offer alternative working arrangements such as short-time working and reduced hours."

In 2009, parents in the UK with children under 16 were granted the right to apply for flexible working, which extended the request to 10 million parents.