Work - Life Balance

Recognising the evolving nature of both the workplace and workforce, is a prime objective to identify appropriate recruitment, retention and employment practices in Scottish high-growth SME's.

These companies offer the broadest scope for employment and career development for women and men with primary care responsibilities and other domestic commitments.

Identification and communication of these practices will optimise employment opportunities in these sectors and help companies in key growth segments of the Scottish economy to meet their present and future productive needs.

To facilitate this goal we plan to:-

• explore the incidence, coverage, nature & value of family friendly policies (FFP’s) & flexible working practices (FWPs) in SMEs within specified high-growth industries in the Scottish economy.
• examine the effects of different FFPs & FWPs used in the high-growth sectors;the ways that these are monitored or measured by employers; and their costs and benefits to host organizations.
• assess the extent to which different FFPs & FWPs meet the employment & domestic needs of employees, especially those with family and primary care commitments and those of women generally.
• awareness & strengths of attraction of available FFPs & FWPs to potential entrants to the growth sectors; especially to women and potential entrants with primary care responsibilities.
• explore any alternative FFPs & FWPs which employees and potential entrants identify as being appropriate to their needs but which are not offered by existing company practice.
• Gather data from the growth sector SMEs and employees which will highlight those policies and practices which offer identified benefits to employers and to employees. Models of good practice will be disseminated to SME and policy-orientated audiences in Scotland to ensure high take up and transfer of beneficial family friendly arrangements