Memorandum submitted by Pam Walton,
1. I have worked in the field of flexible
working and work-life balance since 1978 when I was one of the
founder members of the Job Share Project (which became New Ways
to Work in 1981). I carried out the first research into job sharing
in the UK, Job Sharing: improving the quality and availability
of part-time work published by the Equal Opportunities Commision
(EOC) in 1981. I am the author of Job Sharing: a practical
guide, Kogan Page, 1990. I also carried out numerous research
projects and wrote practical guides for employers, individuals
and trade unionists on all aspects of working time arrangements
during the period I worked for New Ways to Work (1981-2000). In
2001 I was co-author and researcher for a collection of 18 detailed
case studies, Flexi-Exec: Working flexibly at senior and managerial
levels, New Ways to Work, 2001 (Now available from Working
Families).
2. Recommendation 11, that the DTI should
establish a UK-wide Quality Part-Time Work Change Initiative is
to be welcomed. Much of the evidence heard by the Women and Work
Commission showed that women's choices are, to some extent, constrained
by the nature of the jobs available on a part-time basis. Many
of the respondents to the Women and Work Commission's call for
evidence wanted more quality part-time work and flexible working
at senior levels. Many women who gave evidence cited the lack
of quality part-time work as being a major barrier to taking on
senior roles. The numbers of women working part-time below their
potential is also a key finding of the EOC's `Hidden Brain
Drain (2005) and the Gender and Employment in Local Labour
Markets study (Sheffield Hallam University, 2006)
3. The Commission believes "that one
of the main barriers is managers' perceptions that some jobs—particularly
management—cannot be done in this way." My experience,
gained over the last 25 years, leads me to conclude that there
is evidence that a wide range of jobs are already being successfully
carried out in this way, but one of the challenges now is to bring
this evidence together as individual job- based case studies and
make it accessible to individuals, employers and trade unions.
In order to share existing good practice, a
web based data base could be established, with examples of a wide
range of jobs which are already successfully carried on a reduced
hours/job share basis. Whilst working for New Ways to Work (NWW)
I provided expert evidence for ten Employment Tribunals (mainly
for the EOC Legal Department)—on the feasibility of a range
of jobs being carried out on a job share, part time and flexible
hours basis (1997-2000). These jobs were largely at a senior and
managerial level. I was able to give examples where similar jobs
were already being carried out on a job share or part-time basis
as at that time NWW kept a Job Share/Flexible Working Directory
of such jobs. Real examples can provide case study evidence which
helps employers who may be uncertain about how such arrangements
can work successfully.
4. Working Families (formed by the merger
of Parents at Work and New Ways to Work) have recently announced
a new piece of work. http://www.workingfamilies.org.uk/asp/employer—zone/e—bulletin/e—bulletin—quality—work—hours.asp
By providing evidence and detailed case studies
of jobs being successfully carried out on a reduced hours basis,
demonstrating benefits for employees and employers, Working Families
hopes to help others who are attempting to negotiate quality work
with hours to suit.
5. Job Share services to put potential job
share partners in touch, aimed at high quality occupations. Such
services would need to be organised on a local basis through existing
agencies. There would also be scope to help professional bodies
and trade unions to establish job share matching services. New
Ways to Work ran a computerised job share matching service for
the London area during the 1980's and the Careers Service in Sheffield
also ran a register at that time.
6. A high profile UK-wide Quality Part-Time
Work Change Initiative Campaign could be developed, with various
stakeholders to promote existing good practice and role model
examples. These could be publicised, through various channels,
working with professional bodies and using professional journals.
This could include the production of practical guides and material
available through the web as well as other initiatives mentioned
under recommendation 11.
September 2007
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