Why we’re supporting a new campaign to create more flexible jobs
One thing we know from personal experience – and from hearing countless stories since launching Talented Ladies Club – is that we need more flexible career opportunities.
So we were delighted to hear about the new Hire Me My Way campaign, and to give it our full backing.
Launched by the cofounders of Timewise, Hire Me My Way is designed to transform the job market for people who need flexible or part time work. By 2020, they want to see 1 million part time and flexible job vacancies. To give you an idea of just how far off that we are right now, that’s about three times the current level.
How can you get involved?
If, like us, you believe there should be more flexible career opportunities available, you can sign up to Hire Me My Way here and add your voice to a growing movement that calls for a fairer job market for all those who can’t work a traditional full time job.
As well as adding your voice to this important campaign, on the website you’ll also find invaluable support in your own career journey, including:
- Downloadable career guidance packs on finding a flexible job in today’s market, and returning to work after a break.
- Free advice and support on having ‘that’ flexible working conversation with a prospective employer.
- A growing list of employers that have openly stated they are happy for job applicants to raise their need flexibility within the hiring process.
- Short career quizzes designed to help you on your journey.
Help make the hiring process more transparent
Joint founder of Timewise and co-founder of Hire Me My Way Emma Stewart MBE says of the campaign:
“For millions of people in the UK, knowing whether a job can be worked flexibly is as important as knowing the salary or location. It is one of the fundamental factors that decides whether you will make that application, or not – and defines what makes that role ‘workable’.
Ten years ago I was searching for quality flexible work. I couldn’t find a single good quality job to apply for. I was told the same thing over and again by recruiters – that what I wanted didn’t exist. That it wasn’t possible to find a good quality part time job at my level.
Ten years on, and even though over half of the UK’s workforce has access to some method of working flexibly, only one in ten jobs is advertised with flexible or part time working options.
And what’s more, over 1.5 million people in the UK are trapped below their skill level in low paid part time work, simply because they have had to trade time for pay. Whilst many others have abandoned work altogether, as jobs are seldom advertised with flexible working options.”
Emma is determined to make a difference, and that is why she has teamed up with fellow Timewise co-founder Karen Mattison to launch Hire Me My Way.
Together they’re hoping to make the process of how people are hired in the UK more transparent, ending the workplace exclusion that’s experienced by part time and flexible workers, and finally to give a voice to the millions who can’t work full time.
Who is backing Hire My Way?
Funded by the Big Lottery Fund, the campaign has the backing of:
- Confederation of British Industry (CBI)
- British Chambers of Commerce (BCC)
- Business in the Community (BITC)
- British Retail Consortium (BRC)
- Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)
- Equality & Human Rights Commission (EHRC)
- Family & Childcare Trust
- Gingerbread
- Inclusive Employers
- Local Government Association (LGA)
- Mumsnet
- Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC)
- Remploy
- Resolution Foundation
- Mums in Technology
- Talented Ladies Club
- TUC
- WeAreTheCity
- Working Families
- Working Mums
The first employers to support the Hire Me My Way initiative by making a public commitment to flexible hiring include:
- Belu Water
- Camden Council
- Deloitte
- Diageo
- Dixons Carphone
- EY
- innocent
- Islington Council
- NCT
- Kellogg’s
- KPMG
- Lambeth Council
- Lloyds Banking Group
- Mercer
- Pets at Home
- PwC
- Simmons & Simmons
- Warwickshire County Council
Times are changing – for the better
Times are certainly beginning to change, and there are great employers out there that are ahead of the curve when it comes to flexibility and recognising that people need it in new roles – not just existing ones.
But these employers are the exception, not the norm. So we need to add as many voices to the campaign as possible and prove to the world, that this is the future – and that millions of people want it.
Join Hire Me My Way today and back the call for change – it’s time!
