Key findings

40. What is the view from managers? There seems to be some

inconsistency in the way managers in the UK Agencies are dealing
with flexible working policies. Many managers were quite discouraging
to their staff working flexible hours as they were worried about the
effect on their business area. In operational teams, there may be a
conflict of interest but this is certainly not insurmountable and we
have heard from operational team leaders who have said that they
have a number of part-time individuals working for them without any
loss of productivity. In one Agency, the HR Director told us that it was
important that staff “gently challenge working hours and job design
with their managers”. However, that does not take into account that
it is often difficult, particularly for junior members of staff, to do this.

“The structure of
training courses
is generally too
inflexible.”

41. Training. Training is a particular concern. Many courses are 9 to 5

and/or residential.
“However, what did not come across clearly during recruitment was
how inflexible and challenging the training period was, involving
long hours in London as well as weeks away from home. The
training team were understanding of my circumstances, and I never
lacked support from them, but without immense effort from my
family during this time, I would not have been able to complete the
training.”
New recruit and working mother at SIS
The structure of training courses is generally too inflexible: if women
with childcare responsibilities are excluded from training courses,
then they will be penalised in terms of promotion and progression.
So this is an area that must be addressed. We are encouraged to
hear that some courses at SIS are now available on a more modular,
flexible basis but will want to see evidence of this happening more
widely.

“While there has
clearly been some
progress in this
area… we remain
concerned at the
potential for loss of
significant talent if
women do not return
to work following
maternity leave, or
return to areas where
their skills are not
fully utilised.”

So what are the big issues?
42. Risk of ‘talent drain’. While there has clearly been some progress
in this area and we have received some positive feedback from
women who have been on maternity leave more recently, we remain
concerned at the potential for loss of significant talent if women do
not return to work following maternity leave, or return to areas where
their skills are not fully utilised. This may result from a lack of support
before, during and after maternity leave, a lack of opportunities on
return or a lack of flexibility by employers to accommodate changes in
individuals’ circumstances.
43. Exclusion from operational roles. From our discussions with
staff at the Agencies, it is clear that the primary barriers to women
returning to operational roles following maternity leave are cultural.
This needs to change. Managers should be able to adapt their teams to
accommodate those with childcare responsibilities. Whilst we do not
ignore the potential additional cost and impact on output in the short
term that this may involve, we consider that these factors are easily

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