Whose Flexibility?: the Costs and Benefits of Non-standard Working Arrangements and Contractual Relations

The structure and composition of today’s UK labour market are considerably more complex than in previous generations. Women are almost as likely to be employed as men, part-time employment has increased for both sexes, and employment relationships are increasingly complicated, as employers attempt to maximise workforce flexibility and employees seek to balance paid work with family responsibilities. This report examines employers’ staffing strategies in a range of contexts to investigate the costs and benefits to employers and employees of different contractual and working arrangements. The impacts of employment patterns of product and labour market pressures, tradition, trade union involvement and occupation-specific variables, are explored.