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Academics and policymakers have suggested making flexible work arrangements (FWAs) the default in workplaces to promote a family-friendly workplace culture conducive to having and raising children. However, systematic research investigating how FWAs, as a long-term approach to negotiating work–family spheres, are related to fertility among dual-earner heterosexual couples is limited. Drawing on the linked-lives perspective, we theorize the relationship between FWAs and fertility among couples and potential variation depending on the interplay of both spouses' work and family characteristics. We test our hypotheses using longitudinal couple-level dyadic data in the United Kingdom (2010–2022). We find that although FWA availability alone is unrelated to fertility, wives' (not husbands') FWA use is significantly associated with a higher probability of experiencing a first birth. Moreover, the effect of wives' FWA use is particularly pronounced when both spouses work in professional and managerial occupations and when husbands contribute a larger proportion of income and at least equal housework. This study reveals a gendered effect of FWAs on fertility across work–family arrangements, deepening our understanding of couple-level dynamics in the fertility process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental health in the UK had deteriorated compared with pre-pandemic trends. Existing studies on heterogenous wellbeing changes associated COVID-19 tend to segment population based on isolated socio-economic and demographic indicators, notably gender, income and ethnicity, while a more holistic and contextual understanding of such heterogeneity among the workforce seems lacking. This study addresses this gap by 1) combining UK time use surveys collected before and during COVID-19, 2) identifying latent lifestyles within three working mode groups (commuter, homeworker and hybrid worker) using latent class model, and 3) quantifying nuanced experiential wellbeing (ExWB) changes across workers of distinct lifestyles. The direction and magnitude of ExWB changes were not uniform across activity types, time of day, and lifestyles. The direction of ExWB change during the daytime activities window varied in accordance with lifestyle classifications. Specifically, ExWB decreased for all homeworkers but increased significantly for certain hybrid workers. Magnitude of ExWB change correlated strongly with lifestyle. To understand the significant heterogeneity in ExWB outcomes, a spatial-temporal conceptualisation of working flexibility is developed to explicate the strong yet complex correlations between wellbeing and lifestyles. The implications to post-pandemic "back-to-work" policies are 1) continued expansion of hybrid working optionality, 2) provide wider support for lifestyle adaptation and transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Work from home (WFH) has been a part of the professional landscape for over two decades, yet it was the COVID-19 pandemic that has substantially increased its prevalence. The impact of WFH on careers is rather ambiguous, and a question remains open about how this effect is manifested in the current times considering the recent extensive and widespread use of WFH during the pandemic. To answer these questions, this article investigates whether managerial preferences for promotion, salary increase and training allowance depend on employee engagement in WFH. We take into account the employee's gender, parental status as well as the frequency of WFH. Furthermore, we examine whether managers' experience with WFH and its prevalence in the team moderate the effect of WFH on careers. An online survey experiment was run on a sample of over 1,000 managers from the United Kingdom. The experiment was conducted between July and December 2022. The findings indicate that employees who WFH are less likely to be considered for promotion, salary increase and training than on-site workers. The pay and promotion penalties for WFH are particularly true for men (both fathers and non-fathers) and childless women, but not mothers. We also find that employees operating in teams with a higher prevalence of WFH do not experience negative career effects when working from home. Additionally, the more WFH experience the manager has, the lesser the career penalty for engaging in this mode of working. Our study not only provides evidence on WFH and career outcomes in the post-pandemic context but also furthers previous understanding of how WFH impacts careers by showing its effect across different groups of employees, highlighting the importance of familiarisation and social acceptance of flexible working arrangements in their impact on career outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to address the challenges and opportunities in building trust in the UK's remote work landscape, emphasising the importance of effective leadership and dispelling misconceptions about remote work. Design/methodology/approach: The author draws upon a combination of research data, industry trends and expert opinions to present a comprehensive overview of the trust deficit in the remote work landscape. They also incorporate case studies and quotes from prominent figures in the field to support their arguments. Findings: This paper highlights that trust in remote work is not solely determined by physical presence, but rather influenced by factors such as flexibility and technology. It underscores the productivity gains reported by both executives (69%) and employees (75%) in remote work settings. The paper also provides actionable strategies for managing a hybrid workforce and navigating the trust deficit. Originality/value: This paper offers valuable insights and perspectives on trust-building in the context of remote work, challenging entrenched beliefs and providing evidence-backed recommendations. It brings together a range of data points and expert opinions to offer a fresh and comprehensive perspective on a critical aspect of modern work environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study examined parents' experiences of supporting their children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eighteen parents of children aged 2–16 years from diverse backgrounds, living in the UK, were interviewed one-to-one about their experiences. Ten professionals working with children and families were also interviewed to gain a broader perspective of parents' experiences. Using Reflexive Thematic Analysis, four themes were developed: (a) worries and uncertainties; (b) mental exhaustion; (c) resources available to cope with the challenges; and (d) finding the positives. Findings revealed the worries and uncertainties that parents faced regarding how best to support their child and the long-term consequences of the pandemic, as well as feelings of mental exhaustion from juggling multiple responsibilities. The impact of COVID-19 on parents' wellbeing was varied and parents identified several factors that determined their ability to support their children, such as space in the home environment, support networks and their personal mental health. Despite the challenges, some parents reported positive experiences, such as strengthened family bonds during the pandemic. Our study emphasizes the importance of flexible work arrangements and family-friendly employment policies, as well as support for parents to enable them to support their children and look after their own wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Taking regular rest breaks while working positively impacts productivity and wellbeing. While home and hybrid working styles have become a popular choice for employees, the impact of, and perceptions towards, taking breaks while working at home is poorly understood. The current research aimed to explore attitudes towards taking rest breaks while working from home and capture levels of breaks taken, wellbeing and productivity in a sample of UK white-collar workers. Methods: A mixed method approach was applied where self-report data from an online survey were gathered from individuals (N = 140) from one organisation. Open-ended questions regarding attitudes and perceptions towards rest break behaviours were obtained. Further quantitative measures included the number of breaks taken while working from home, levels of productivity (measured by the Health and performance Presenteeism subscale) and mental wellbeing (measured by the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental wellbeing scale). Both quantitative and qualitative analysis approaches were applied. Results: Qualitative responses indicated two overarching themes (1) Personal and (2) Organisational sat above four further themes including Movement outside, Structure of home working, Home environment and Digital presence. Additionally, quantitative findings indicated that the number of breaks taken outside was associated with positive changes in wellbeing. Conclusion: Employers could aim to support employees working from home in taking outside breaks through flexible working patterns, authentic leadership, and a change in company social norms around break behaviours. Such organisational changes could help to improve workforce productivity and wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Despite children and young people (CYP) with long term conditions (LTCs) having significantly elevated mental health needs, accessing evidence-based psychological support remains difficult. Previous work suggests low-intensity CBT (LICBT) interventions are effective for CYP with mental health needs in the context of LTCs. If embedded in hospitals LICBT may increase access and better integrate physical and mental health care. This new provision is currently being implemented in paediatric hospitals across the UK. A vital part of successful implementation is effective training. The current paper describes hybrid training in LICBT interventions delivered to staff from a range of health care settings. The aim of the study was to analyse the effectiveness of, and satisfaction with, this training. Methods: Two days of hybrid training in LICBT for mental health needs in the context of LTCs were delivered to staff. Attendees were introduced to LICBT strategies to support CYP with anxiety, depression and challenging behaviour. A brief questionnaire and evaluation form were completed before and after training on attendees' understanding of the topics covered and their views of the training (usefulness, relevance, preparedness). Results: Thirteen attendees completed the questionnaire before and after training was completed. Total scores significantly increased from pre-training to post-training. Qualitative feedback indicated the majority found the training highly relevant to their work and enjoyed the hybrid model. Conclusion: These findings support the acceptability and effectiveness of two-day hybrid training as part of enabling a paediatric hospital workforce to deliver psychological support for CYP with LTCs. Future training could consider this format to help overcome barriers to successful implementation. This work highlights the opportunity a new or existing workforce holds in integrating psychological therapies into existing physical health care pathways, coordinating care and ensuring equitable access to mental health support for CYPs, irrespective of their LTCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global COVID‐19 pandemic led to a widespread increase in remote work arrangements. This trend raised concerns regarding the potential negative ramifications it might have for organizational trust and cooperation. We explored the initial effect of COVID‐19 induced remote work on trust in organizations: trust in co‐workers, trust in the supervisor and in the organization at large. In a four‐wave longitudinal survey of remote workers (N ∼ 1000) in the UK conducted between May 2020 and August 2020 (first COVID wave), we examined the association between the share of remote work (out of total working hours) and different forms of trust at work. The results showed that, for the same individual, increasing the share of working hours spent remotely was associated with more trust in the organization at large (but not in the supervisor and co‐workers). Further, during the months where individuals spent more time working remotely, they experienced lower turnover intentions (but not less burnout or more work engagement, productivity, and satisfaction) compared to the months where they spent less time working remotely. The results contribute to the literature on flexible work arrangements, organizational trust, and other work outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is not well understood the overall changes that multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) have had to make in response to the COVID‐19 pandemic, nor the impact that such changes, in addition to the other challenges faced by MDTs, have had on decision‐making, communication, or participation in the context of MDT meetings specifically. Methods: This was a mixed method, prospective cross‐sectional survey study taking place in the United Kingdom between September 2020 and August 2021. Results: The participants were 423 MDT members. Qualitative findings revealed hybrid working and possibility of virtual attendance as the change introduced because of COVID‐19 that MDTs would like to maintain. However, IT‐related issues, slower meetings, longer lists and delays were identified as common with improving of the IT infrastructure necessary going forward. In contrast, virtual meetings and increased attendance/availability of clinicians were highlighted as the positive outcomes resulting from the change. Quantitative findings showed significant improvement from before COVID‐19 for MDT meeting organisation and logistics (M = 45, SD = 20) compared to the access (M = 50, SD = 12, t(390) = 5.028, p = 0.001), case discussions (M = 50, SD = 14, t(373) = −5.104, p = 0.001), and patient representation (M = 50, SD = 12, t(382) = −4.537, p = 0.001) at MDT meetings. Discussion: Our study explored the perception of change since COVID‐19 among cancer MDTs using mixed methods. While hybrid working was preferred, challenges exist. Significant improvements in the meeting organisation and logistics were reported. Although we found no significant perceived worsening across the four domains investigated, there was an indication in this direction for the case discussions warranting further 'live' assessments of MDT meetings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Sustainable return to work remains challenging for workers returning after long-term sick leave due to common mental disorders (CMDs): stress, anxiety and depression. Line managers play a significant role in supporting returned workers. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the supportive behaviors of line managers in supporting returned workers. Design/methodology/approach: The authors conducted a longitudinal study with up to three semi-structured interviews with 20 line managers with experience managing returned workers. In these interviews, the authors asked questions about the supportive behaviors line managers enacted to support workers and the role of the context. The authors conducted reflexive thematic analysis. Findings: The analyses revealed five key strategies, including managing workload, flexible working time arrangements, location of work, mental health check-ups and long-term support. The interviewed line managers reported their own lived experiences and that being aware of the limitations of their role, together with training and support from senior management and human resources (HR), enabled them to provide appropriate support. Practical implications: The five strategies and the barriers and facilitators to implementing these may enable HR to develop policies and procedures to support line managers, including training of line managers. Originality/value: This is the first study in the UK on line managers' behaviors to support workers who have returned to work after a period of long-term sickness absence due to CMDs. The identification of such behaviors is paramount to developing organizational policies and practices. The question, however, remains whether employees see these behaviors as effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Part of an ongoing longitudinal study, this article provides evidence on the emerging impacts of Covid-19 on the demand for, configuration and role of offices in cities, drawing on primary data from semi-structured interviews with UK-based corporate real estate managers. The research is grounded on a 'theory of change' framework combining real estate, institutional economics and economic geography literature. Our findings confirm an acceleration towards hybrid working patterns. While some changes in the current use of offices may be temporary or more dynamic, other adjustments may be permanent (for example working from home, portfolio rationalisations) and trigger structural changes across cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The study aims to explore how businesses across the UK have adapted to over a year of remote training, and where there is room for improvement as long-term hybrid working plans are put in place. The study also uncovers what digital tools businesses have relied on to deliver learning and development initiatives during remote working, and their effects on employee engagement and experience. Design/methodology/approach: An independent body of research was commissioned among 750 UK business leaders and 1,235 UK adults in full-time employment. Findings: The research found that while the majority of businesses were able to leverage digital solutions during extended periods of remote work, significant numbers found it difficult to train and develop employees remotely, with many employees dissatisfied with the outcomes. Originality/value: The research offers some valuable insights for business leaders looking to improve their training schemes as workplaces settle into new patterns of working. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A conditional right to request flexible working arrangements (FWAs) has existed for most UK employee parents since 2003. However, there are growing concerns about access, particularly among fathers. Using nationally representative data from the 2015 UK Household Longitudinal Survey, this article examines fathers' perceptions of the availability of hours reduction, schedule flexibility and working from home. Results show that almost one-third of fathers believe that FWAs that reduce working hours are unavailable to them, compared with one-tenth of mothers. There are no gender differences in perceptions of availability of schedule and location flexibility. Among fathers, those with lower education levels, in lower status occupations, working in the private sector and in workplaces that do not have trade union presence are more likely to believe that FWAs are unavailable. Therefore, even though most employees now have the right to request FWAs, a significant minority of fathers do not perceive FWAs to be available to them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have shown that flexible boundaries between work and family may make employees work harder and longer. Yet most studies were not able to show whether there are differences across different types of flexible working arrangements, and whether this relationship may only hold for certain groups of workers. We examine how three different types of flexible working arrangements, that is schedule control, flexitime, and teleworking, are associated with an increase in unpaid overtime hours of workers in the UK using the Understanding Society data from 2010 to 2015 and fixed effects panel regression models. Results show that the flexible arrangements that were introduced primarily for work-life balance purposes, i.e., flexitime and teleworking, do not necessarily increase unpaid overtime hours significantly. On the other hand, workers' control over their schedule, mainly introduced as a part of high-performance strategies, leads to increased unpaid overtime hours. This is especially true for professional men, and women without children, especially those working full-time, and surprisingly part-time working mothers. The results of this study point to the importance of distinguishing between different groups of workers as well as between different types of arrangements when examining outcomes of flexible working. Furthermore, the results of the study contribute to the argument that performance enhancing flexible working arrangements can potentially exacerbate gender inequalities in the labour market by enabling men to commit more time to their jobs, while for women, especially full-time working mothers, this may be less possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the prevalence and the gender differences in the perceptions and experiences of flexibility stigma—i.e., the belief that workers who use flexible working arrangements for care purposes are less productive and less committed to the workplace. This is done by using the 4th wave of the Work-Life Balance Survey conducted in 2011 in the UK. The results show that 35% of all workers agree to the statement that those who work flexibly generate more work for others, and 32% believe that those who work flexibly have lower chances for promotion. Although at first glance, men are more likely to agree to both, once other factors are controlled for, women especially mothers are more likely to agree to the latter statement. Similarly, men are more likely to say they experienced negative outcomes due to co-workers working flexibly, while again mothers are more likely to say they experienced negative career consequences due to their own flexible working. The use of working time reducing arrangements, such as part-time, is a major reason why people experience negative career outcomes, and can partially explain why mothers are more likely to suffer from such outcomes when working flexibly. However, this relationship could be reverse, namely, the stigma towards part-time workers may be due to negative perceptions society hold towards mothers' commitment to work and their productivity. In sum, this paper shows that flexibility stigma is gendered, in that men are more likely to discriminate against flexible workers, while women, especially mothers, are more likely to suffer from such discrimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper extends the view of homeworking as a type of flexible working by employees in organisations aimed at improving work–life balance and job satisfaction, to a type of work that encapsulates significant changes of work towards increased self-employment and casual work, high proportions of which are performed in people's homes. Such changes to work represent a reconfiguration of the spatial separation and relationship between place of work and place of residence. Through homeworking, this paper studies how changing geographies of work and workplaces impact on workers' life satisfaction overall and across various aspects of their lives. Using a large representative longitudinal dataset for the United Kingdom, findings reveal that workers' satisfaction with their job, income and leisure time is significantly shaped by homeworking and that the employment status (employee versus self-employed) and gender are important elements for understanding how homeworking is related to subjective well-being. Homeworking is positively related with leisure time satisfaction of men and women. Job satisfaction advances of homeworking are only observed for employees, but not the self-employed. Men's income satisfaction is decreased when they work as self-employed without employees in their homes. Future policies and research concerning workers' subjective well-being need to pay attention to the continued trend towards individualised work in people's own homes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose was to analyze the scientific production available in international databases on telework in order to verify the volume of production and to identify the articles' focus of study through the integrative review. Scientific production is growing, with a large number of review articles (12). Regarding empirical articles, with a predominantly quantitative approach, there is a low rate of publication in public organizations. The United States and the United Kingdom top the ranking of publications, as well as the list of the most cited articles. The studies focus on the search for impacts caused by implementing telework for both the worker and the organization. There are few studies of longitudinal nature and few combining the various actors involved in telework, especially with respect to work teams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Debates around the benefits of flexible work arrangements for employee well-being are limited by a lack of empirical analyses on whether flexible working enables employees with work or family stressors to cope with their levels of stress. This study examines whether the availability and use of different flexible work arrangements are associated with lower allostatic load (an index of chronic stress-related biomarkers) in a large representative study of UK adults. Male and female employees who made use of reduced hours working arrangements had lower levels of allostatic load. Among women caring for two or more children aged under 15, there was a difference of almost one unit of the allostatic load index (an additional biomarker risk) between women who used reduced hours flexible work and those without such arrangements. Reduced hours flexible work arrangements could enable women who combine work and family roles to reduce their levels of chronic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Three years on from the Brexit vote, while it remains a central topic for debate in the media, there has been limited discussion about the human resource (HR) implications. The purpose of this paper is to provide theoretical evaluation and informed discussion, distilled into four interconnected propositions, on how employee resourcing as a HR practice may be impacted following actual Brexit decisions. Design/methodology/approach: Drawing on the employee resourcing literature, the paper adopts a discursive approach which examines how the UK's decision to exit the European Union will affect HR practice. The paper draws comparison with the global recession since 2008, a similarly unprecedented development in its discussion of employee resourcing practices and draws parallels which may help to inform the future of HR practices in the UK, because of Brexit. Findings: This paper offers a set of propositions; the flow of talent into the UK may become more restricted and reinvigorate the "war for talent" that followed the effects of the global financial crisis on the UK. To attract and retain workers in relatively lower-skilled roles, employers may be faced with a need to re-skill such roles and adopt more flexible working arrangements. Finally, to meet skilled employment requirements, removal of restrictions to recruit from within the European Economic Area may trigger increased global migration of skilled workers. Originality/value: This paper contributes to the discussions regarding the implications of Brexit for HR practice by offering propositions to shape future research agendas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although studies have examined the distribution and conditions of employer-provided work-family arrangements, we still lack a systematic investigation of how these vary for different countries and industries. Based on the European Working Conditions Survey 2010, this study examines the conditions under which firms provide family-friendly working time arrangements and what the differences are across four countries (Austria, Denmark, Italy and the UK) and four industries. The impact of employee representatives, employee involvement, manager support and female managers varies across countries and industries because of the institutional environment (prevailing family model, industrial relations) and workforce composition (gender). The impact of employee representatives depends on their co-determination rights, and the direction of their effect on the prevailing family model (e.g. negative in conservative countries such as Austria) and the gender composition of the workforce (negative in male-dominated production, but positive in services). Employee involvement in the work organization is significantly positive in Austria and Denmark (both with co-operative industrial relations), while manager support has the strongest effect in the UK (liberal regime). At the industry level, female supervisors are positively associated with family-friendly working time arrangements only in the male-dominated production industry. These findings suggest that the effects of agency variables and their direction vary depending on the institutional context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of part-time work on absolute wages. The empirical focus is wages and working hours in three selected sectors within private services in the Danish labour market – industrial cleaning, retail, hotels and restaurants – and their agreement-based regulation of working time and wages. Theoretically, this analysis is inspired by the concept of living hours, which addresses the interaction between working hours and living wages, but adds a new layer to the concept in that the authors also consider the importance of working time regulations for securing a living wage.Design/methodology/approach The paper builds on desk research of collective agreements and analysis of monthly administrative register data on wages and working hours of Danish employees from the period 2008-2014.Findings This analysis shows that the de facto hourly wages have increased since the global financial crisis in all three sectors. This is in accordance with increasing minimum wage levels in the sector-level agreements. The majority of workers in all three sectors work part-time. Marginal part-timers – 15 hours or less per week – make up the largest group of workers. The de facto hourly wage for part-timers, including marginal part-timers, is relatively close to the sector average. However, the yearly job-related income is much lower for part-time than for full-time workers and much lower than the poverty threshold. Whereas the collective agreement in industrial cleaning includes a minimum floor of 15 weekly working hours – this is not the case in retail, hotels and restaurants. This creates a loophole in the latter two sectors that can be exploited by employers to gain wage flexibility through part-time work.Originality/value The living wage literature usually focusses on hourly wages (including minimum wages via collective agreements or legislation). This analysis demonstrates that studies of low-wage work must include the number of working hours and working time regulations, as this aspect can have a dramatic influence on absolute wages – even in cases of hourly wages at relatively high levels. Part-time work and especially marginal part-time work can be associated with very low yearly income levels – even in cases like Denmark – if regulations do not include minimum working time floors. The authors suggest that future studies include the perspective of living hours to draw attention to the effect of low number of weekly hours on absolute income levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides new evidence on the relationship between household and intra-household commuting travel and home telework for Great Britain using data from the National Travel Survey for the period between 2005 and 2012. The results from the empirical models of individual and household commuting travel suggest there is some evidence of longer weekly commuting distances travelled, but shorter total travel times, for more frequent home teleworkers. The findings also suggest that there is no intra-household compensation effect between partners, that is, the home teleworking status of one of the household’s members does not appear to influence his/her partner’s commuting travel. We also find that some of the observed differences relate to the definition of home teleworker status, particularly with respect to the level of home telework frequency. Despite the increase in the share of workers using home telework at least once a week, from 4% in 2005 to 6% in 2012, the magnitude of the relationship between home teleworking and weekly commuting length and duration does not seem to have changed over the period studied. Although the findings suggest that home telework tends to increase weekly commuting distances travelled (but not travel times), data-related limitations did not allow us to address issues of selection and/or simultaneity bias; consequently we cannot make causal inference conclusions about the nature and size of the relationship between home telework and commuting patterns, and in turn its policy implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relative importance of economic and other motives for employers to provide support for work–life balance (WLB) is debated within different literatures. However, discourses of WLB can be sensitive to changing economic contexts. This article draws on in-depth interviews with senior human resources professionals in British public sector organizations to examine shifting discourses of WLB in an austerity context. Three main discourses were identified: WLB practices as organizationally embedded amid financial pressures; WLB practices as a strategy for managing financial pressures; and WLB as a personal responsibility. Despite a discourse of mutual benefits to employee and employer underpinning all three discourses, there is a distinct shift towards greater emphasis on economic rather than institutional interests of employers during austerity, accompanied by discursive processes of fixing, stretching, shrinking and bending understandings of WLB. The reconstructed meaning of WLB raises concerns about its continued relevance to its original espoused purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a critical assessment of the family-friendly reform of employment law in the UK. It begins with the analysis of the EU policies on work-life balance as the important context of the reform in the UK. The second part of the paper provides and outline of the family-friendly provisions introduced by the Labour and Coalition Governments between 1997 and 2015 and investigates the rationale behind the reform. The paper questions the consistency of the approach to the family-friendly reform of employment law adopted by the Labour and Coalition governments. It argues that the economic rationale has underpinned the flexibility aspect of family-friendly agenda in both EU and UK policies. In its final part, the paper analyses the flaws in the regulation of family-friendly entitlements and argues that, without proper incentives and guarantees, the reform is unlikely to provide working parents and carers with a real choice and flexibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible working time arrangements may promote and support the employment of older workers, helping to extend working lives. However, existing laws around working time have significant limitations, as working time is largely left to managerial discretion. As a result, working time laws are having limited practical impact in some Member States. There is therefore a need to consider how employment and working practices could be re-envisaged to better suit the modern experience of work and ageing. Drawing on qualitative data from seventeen interviews conducted with United Kingdom (UK) experts in the employment of older workers, this article evaluates the practical merit of working time ideas from the literature. It argues that ideas around working time are difficult to apply to the individualized UK working time model. Thus, we must seriously consider how approaches to working time can be translated into meaningful and practical reforms that effectively mediate the interests of employers and employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The visibility of striptease (‘lap dancing’) as a workplace and site of consumption has grown significantly over the past 15 years in the UK. This article draws on the first large scale study of stripping work in the UK, exploring original empirical data to examine why women continue to seek work in an industry that is profoundly precarious and often highly exploitative. It suggests that rather than either a ‘career’ or a ‘dead end’ job, many women use lap dancing strategically to create alternative futures of work, employment and education. It is argued that precarious forms of employment such as lap dancing can be instrumentalized through agentic strategies by some workers, in order to achieve longer term security and to develop opportunities outside the sex industry. As such, it is averred that engagement in the industry should instead be understood in a wider political economy of work and employment and the social wage. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article discusses the impact that technology is having on lawyers, law firms, and alternative legal service providers as of 2018, and it mentions the author's career and work-life balance. Legal billable hours and the practice of law are addressed, along with flexible working conditions, teleconferencing, and electronic exchanges of contracts and other signed legal documents. Paperless business practices are assessed, as well as British public transportation.

The article discusses the policy concerning flexible working hours for employees in Great Britain. Topics discussed include the procedure for making the flexible working hours request, the obligations of employers with regard to the request, and the factors that serve as basis of employers for not approving the flexible working hours requests of employees.