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Scottish Government launches ‘happy to talk flexible working’.

Minister for Children and Young People Aileen Campbell yesterday [Thursday, September 24] visited leading legal firm Maclay Murray & Spens to promote a strapline that will make it easier for job-hunters to find employers that support flexible working.

The Scottish Government and Maclay Murray & Spens are among the first to adopt the ‘happy to talk flexible working’ strapline – which will appear on the adverts for positions where flexible working is encouraged.

This is one of a package of Scottish Government announcements made during National Work Life Week, which runs this week from September 21 to 25.

Ms Campbell, who this month returned to her ministerial brief after completing maternity leave, also announced:

• She is to become one of Scotland’s first Family Friendly Working Scotland ‘champions’, highlighting issues around securing the right balance between family and working life
• Nominations for the 2016 Scottish Top Employers for Working Families awards have now opened

The Scottish Government funds and is a partner in the Family Friendly Working Scotland initiative, established in 2014 to help deliver flexible and family-friendly working practices and workplaces across Scotland.

Ms Campbell said yesterday:

“We know many parents and carers have to juggle work with family commitments and that it can be difficult to begin a conversation around flexible working with a new employer – with the knock-on effect that employers and employees can both miss out on the right opportunities.

“The ‘happy to talk flexible working’ strapline can change all that, making it easier for employers to attract the right breadth of talent, and for employees to find the right balance between their working and home lives right from the outset.

“I’m pleased to announce today the Scottish Government has signed up to this initiative and I would like to take this opportunity to thank Maclay, Murray and Spens for becoming one of the early adopters of the scheme. I would encourage other employers to learn more about the benefits flexible working can bring.

“Organisations benefit directly from having happy, motivated employees. But more than that, the reputational benefits of being known for family friendly and flexible working practices are increasingly important in being an ‘employer of choice’.

“I hope organisations and individuals across Scotland will embrace National Work Life Week, finding their own champions of flexible working, perhaps entering in the Scottish Top Employers for Working Families, and learning more about the improved morale, productivity and wellbeing flexible working brings.”

Amanda Jones, partner and head of the employment and pensions practice with Maclay Murray & Spens LLP, said:

“Our people are fundamental to the firm’s continued success and we are committed to positively embracing agile working practices to support our employees achieving a healthy work-life balance. We implement creative and flexible ways of working, where our employees feel valued, helping us to attract and retain a talented and diverse workforce.”

Notes To Editors

Family Friendly Working Scotland is a collaboration between the Scottish Government, Working Families (a leading UK work-life balance organisation), Parenting Across Scotland and Fathers Network Scotland. The key aim is to support and promote the development of family-friendly workplaces across Scotland. Scottish Government funding for the programme has been increased to £250,000 for 2015-16 (from £100,000 in 2014-15).