New Zealand Federation of Business and Professional Women

6 November 2006
MEDIA RELEASE

Flexible Working Hours -Good For Employers and Employees

“Flexible working arrangements benefit both employers and the employees,” a New Zealand Federation of Business and Professional Women spokesperson said today.

Speaking at the Parliamentary launch of the Coalition for Quality Flexible Working Hours BPW spokesperson Angela McLeod said that businesses that encourage work/life balance and include it in their business strategy have high staff engagement and therefore high productivity, and are competitive in the market place.

“Quality Flexible Work Legislation is family friendly and gives parents and primary care givers the legal framework with which to ask for quality flexible work,” she said.

Angela McLeod said although it would be preferable if employers and employees could resolve working hours issues without recourse to legislation, New Zealand needed legislation because of the many employees who were currently unable to access flexible working hours.

“Working parents, women in particular, need access to flexible working hours for their careers, income and sanity,” she said.

“New Zealand businesses need it - for improved staff engagement, productivity and performance. New Zealand needs this - for our social and economic well-being. Improving our work/life balance makes New Zealand a more attractive place to live; quality flexible work legislation will be our point of difference in attracting skilled workers, new businesses and ethical business investment. All of this leads to an increase in our economic performance. And we all want that.”

BPW is one of 26 organisations who have joined the Coal ion, which supports Sue Kedgley’s private members’ bill providing a right to request flexible working hours for parents of young children and older children with disabilities. The collation is calling for legislation with the provisions extended to all employees.

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