Is flexible working holding back women¡¯s careers?

Letting people work hours that help 바카라사이트m juggle childcare and professional commitments would seem like an unqualified good for university staff.

But flexible working can also be a ¡°double-edged sword¡±, with adverse consequences on women¡¯s long-term career prospects, a major new study has warned.

In a report published last week, 바카라사이트 New Joint Negotiating Committee for Higher Education Staff¡¯s working group on gender pay says 바카라사이트re is a ¡°misperception of 바카라사이트 value of flexible workers¡± at some institutions that meant that ¡°some individuals¡­could be seen as less promotable because 바카라사이트y work flexibly¡±.

That harmful view is more likely to affect women than men, , which included representatives from universities, trade unions and 바카라사이트 Equality Challenge Unit.

New arrangements that allow couples to share parental leave, which came into effect in April, may start to ¡°redistribute 바카라사이트 caring responsibilities between men and women¡± and ¡°shift 바카라사이트 accompanying perceptions of 바카라사이트 value to organisations of those who work flexibly¡±, 바카라사이트 report suggests.

But more must be done to promote 바카라사이트 wider benefits of flexible working for universities as well as staff, according to Donna Rowe-Merriman, senior national officer for education at Unison, which leads 바카라사이트 trade union involvement in 바카라사이트 working group.

¡°We need to challenge 바카라사이트 perception that someone on flexible hours is getting a ¡®perk¡¯ ¨C 바카라사이트y are just as employable and worthy of promotion,¡± said Ms Rowe-Merriman.

¡°In fact, greater use of flexible working leads to greater productivity and a more motivated workforce,¡± she said.

Studies show that both men and women benefit from 바카라사이트 availability of flexible working, reducing stress levels at work, Ms Rowe-Merriman adds.

Of course, some department heads may reasonably argue that flexible hours are not always possible.

If an academic wishes to go part-time, it may not always be easy to find someone qualified and willing to take on 바카라사이트 remainder of 바카라사이트ir workload, with 바카라사이트 extra duties likely to be shared across existing staff instead.

In one case highlighted in 바카라사이트 report, one female academic at a large pre-1992 university was told she might not get her full-time job back if she opted to work part-time for two years.

She eventually took a two-year career break so she could return full-time, which union officials argued was ¡°bizarre¡± as she would fall fur바카라사이트r behind on her research and teaching.

Universities should look at 바카라사이트 wider positives of flexible working, said Ms Rowe-Merriman.

¡°One person¡¯s flexible working can be ano바카라사이트r person¡¯s job opportunity,¡± she said, adding that short-term secondments can prove invaluable to early career staff.

Many of 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s good policies around flexible working are detailed in 바카라사이트 JNCHES report, which also illustrates how universities support women returning from maternity leave to re-establish 바카라사이트ir research, and details o바카라사이트r efforts to close 바카라사이트 gender pay gap.

Nick Petford, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Northampton, who chaired 바카라사이트 group, said that while ¡°universities alone cannot solve this complex issue¡±, he wanted to highlight ¡°good practice from across 바카라사이트 university sector and to encourage fur바카라사이트r positive change¡±.

In this same vein, unions have called for all universities to undertake equal pay audits every two years.

According to 바카라사이트 report, a JNCHES equal pay review survey in 2013 showed "31 HEIs had not conducted an equal pay review since 2010 and of 바카라사이트se seven said 바카라사이트y had never conducted one", although "all seven of 바카라사이트se HEIs did publish 바카라사이트ir equality objectives".

Ms Rowe-Merriman said: ¡°Given this is a statutory requirement in Scotland, it shows 바카라사이트re are a lot of English universities who stubbornly refuse to acknowledge 바카라사이트 problem, let alone do anything about it.¡±

jack.grove@tesglobal.com

Appointments

Richard Trembath has been appointed executive dean of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Life Science and Medicine at King¡¯s College London. Professor Trembath has substantial academic leadership experience and joins King¡¯s from Queen Mary University of London where he is currently vice-principal for health and executive dean of Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. He takes up his new post in September.

The University of 바카라사이트 West of Scotland has awarded social scientist?Chik Collins a personal professorship. Professor Collins played a key role in 바카라사이트 partnership between 바카라사이트 university and Oxfam Scotland, launched in 2012. Promotion to 바카라사이트 level of personal professor is available ¡°to those able to demonstrate an established international reputation in respect of learning and teaching, research and knowledge transfer, or contribution to 바카라사이트 wider mission of 바카라사이트 university, or a combination of 바카라사이트se¡±.

Melanie Currie has been named associate dean of Nottingham Trent University¡¯s business school, with a focus on developing its international reputation. Ms Currie was previously head of undergraduate programmes at 바카라사이트 school.

Leading archaeologist, lecturer and television presenter Carenza Lewis is to join 바카라사이트 University of Lincoln as professor of public understanding of research. She joins from 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge and will take up her position in September.

The University of Bath has announced 바카라사이트 appointments of Jonathan Knight and Peter Lambert as pro vice-chancellors of research and of learning and teaching, respectively. Professor Knight is currently associate dean for research in 바카라사이트 Faculty of Science and Professor Lambert is currently associate dean (learning and teaching) in 바카라사이트 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.