New All-Party Parliamentary Group pushes flexible working agenda forward 

Published: 6 Feb 2024

Working Families are delighted to announce the launch of a new All-Party-Parliamentary Group (APPG) dedicated to championing flexible working. The APPG on Flexible and Family-Friendly Working will sit in the House of Commons and focus on progressing policies that help create more family-friendly work environments. As our CEO, Jane van Zyl, outlined, “We believe that flexible working is not just a benefit but a necessity for the modern workforce. This APPG will play a pivotal role in advocating for policies that empower families, support a better work-life balance, and contribute to a more inclusive and productive society.”

The group has a broad range of voices, from political parties to industry leaders. MPs leading the group are Tulip Siddiq, Labour MP for Hampstead and Kilburn and Shadow Minister (Treasury), and the Rt Hon Dame Maria Miller, Conservative MP for Basingstoke. Organisations from across business sectors have come on board as sponsors and to share their insights and expertise on implementing flexible working. We are thrilled that Save the Children, Zurich, TLT, Wates, and SF Recruitment, are leading the charge for different industries. Working Families, having initiated the group, will act as it’s Secretariat, and other voices who tirelessly campaign on flexible working will also be involved.

The group was formally established at a launch event today, and will meet for the first time in March. Policymakers and influencers dedicated to reshaping the future of work will be in attendance, and discussions will be centred on women and flexible working, in honour of International Women’s Day. Flexible working, has enormous potential to help close the gender pay gap, by enabling women to progress in careers once they’ve had children, which is when the differences in pay between men and women really starts to open up.

With the backdrop of new legislative changes coming into effect in April, the setting up of the APPG is evidence of a turning of the tide in attitudes around flexible working, and another stride towards making sure flexible working is firmly on the political agenda. The APPG’s work will create conversations and promote best practice that will make flexible working not just achievable but preferable for businesses, ensuring more families and employers can reap the benefits of flexibility in the workplace.

Read more about the APPG