LUC – 2019 Scottish Top Employers
LUC is an organisation that truly recognises the importance of advertising flexible jobs. They look for the flexibility in every role and use the ‘Happy to talk flexible working’ strapline and logo on all recruitment advertising and in job descriptions. They brief recruiters to highlight this when talking to candidates, and openly continue the conversation about flexibility throughout the recruitment process. LUC has used the ‘Happy to talk flexible working’ logo for more than 40 roles this year, with multiple adverts for each role.
They have also lobbied online recruiters in the sector to revise their categories to include a ‘flexible’ option instead of restricting the description of a role to part-time of full-time. They successfully reached an agreement with the Landscape Institute (the primary site for landscape jobs) to include a flexible jobs category, and this is now used by other organisations.
Since adopting the use of the ‘Happy to talk flexible working’ logo, the number of female applicants, and female appointments made at senior level have increased. This includes women returning to work after career breaks and those who would not otherwise have applied for roles advertised as full-time. LUC operates within a competitive sector from a recruitment perspective. They recognise that recruiting flexibly means is a significant step forward in beginning to close the gender pay gap. This also allows the organisation to address skills shortages in the sector while attracting and retaining significant talent which drives business performance and boosts productivity.
In 2018, their staff survey revealed that 75% of respondents said their decision to work for LUC was influenced by the flexible working arrangements available to employees.
Winning insights
- Agile working policy requires managers to find the flexibility in every role
- All job descriptions and adverts carry the ‘Happy to talk flexible working’ logo
- Recruiters are briefed to promote flexibility as a benefit of working for LUC
- Increase in female applicants and appointments since switching to flexible recruitment.
- ‘Happy to talk flexible working logo’ used 150 times this year across 40 different roles
- Successfully changed job board category to include ‘flexible’ option
What their people say:
“I have recently joined LUC after an extended career break and was initially attracted to the post due to it being advertised as ‘flexible working’. I am working three days per week and LUC have been very flexible about which days I work. I have the opportunity to change which days I work to suit my commitments in and out of work that week. LUC are also flexible about home working which is very beneficial for the organisation as well as individual employees.”
Architect, LUC