News on 1 November 2000
68% of the men and women taking part in a government survey
say they work from home because it enables them to be more efficient.
7% work from home to care for children or elderly relatives, 7% claim
they do it for transport reasons and less than 1% because of their health.
The survey also shows that only 22% of the companies surveyed allow their
staff to work from home, 4% let staff work from home "most of the
time" or "regularly" and 18% see it as an occasional arrangement
only. Out of the 7,500 employees participating in the survey, 24% of the
men are allowed to work from home and 16% of the women.
Moreover, 38% of men, compared to 33% of women say they would like to
work from home and ministers hope these findings will dispel the myth
that women with young children make up the only group seeking more flexible
working arrangements from their bosses.
It was also found that where employers offered no flexible working options,
the perception was greater that such arrangements would be unfair. Where
flexible working was on offer, staff were less likely to see it as inequitable.
Margaret Hodge, the employment minister who commissioned the research
said: "This survey shows that arrangements to promote a better balance
between work and home benefit men and women who both appear to want a
life."
