Flexible working, we all know what it is but how many employers actively offer it and how many employees do it?

A report by Digital Mums found that if businesses did offer more flexible working options, the economy could be boosted by a massive £62.5 billion a year.

While working from home may not be a suitable option for every employee in every business, for example, a chef can’t really work from home or a barrister is much better off in court rather than conducting via Skype, there are many different ways of flexible working which can have positive effects on business.

1. Missing talent

The report shows that there are currently 2.6 million mums not working in the UK but that seven in ten of them would go back to work if flexible working was an option. That’s a lot of amazing talent out there just waiting to get back into work if companies were willing to be more flexible.

2. A wider talent pool

Offering flexible working as an employer means that there is a wider pool of talent to chose from. By offering work from home roles you will be able to chose the right person for the job instead of the closest person to the job just because they live within commutable distance from the office.

3. Save money

Small businesses often don’t have the funds or space available to hire full time employees for every area of the business. By offering part-time, work from home roles, you will be able to add to your team and save money on operational costs.

4. Committed, trusting employees

Because flexible working is still so hard to come by, the people you hire flexibly are more likely to be committed and trustworthy. Once an employee finds a flexible job that they love, they will work hard to exceed expectations because when you find work that works, you want to keep it.

5. Satisfied, happy employees

Now who doesn’t want satisfied, happy employees. Employees who work flexibly are more satisfied with their jobs and enjoy a better work-life balance. They are also much less likely to suffer from stress and burnout. Also by giving employees more control over their working patterns, it has a much more positive effect on their health and well being including better sleep.

A report by the World Economic Forum shows that UK families spend a third of their income on childcare. Even more reason to prove that Flexible Working is so important.

So there you have it. By offering flexible working, not only will you have happier, committed employees, you will also set yourself apart from the competition and have access to a wider pool of talent.

FGS Recruitment is a boutique recruitment agency specialising in recruiting sales and marketing jobs in our core markets of Digital Media, Learning & Development and Market Research. Keep up to date with our latest career advice articles and jobs by signing up to our newsletter and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.