Almost half of workers in Wales want more flexibility – and almost 1 in 4 with children would consider term-time-only working, according to new survey
- New survey from YouGov, commissioned by Amazon, explores Welsh views on workplace flexibility
- While 45% of workers in Wales would like more flexible working options from their employer, more than one in three workers (38%) say they have NO option to work flexibly at all
- Almost one in four (23%) of all parents with children aged 18 and under would consider term-time working; an innovative option recently introduced by Amazon for its Operations employees in Swansea and across the UK
One in 3 parents want flexible working – over a third say employer offers zero flexibility
As parents across Wales plan ways to keep their children active and entertained during the school holidays, new research reveals that almost one in three working parents in Wales would consider term-time only working to improve work/life balance.
A YouGov poll commissioned by Amazon, reveals almost half (45%) of working parents in Wales want more flexibility in their jobs, while almost one in four (23%) parents in Wales said they would consider switching to a term-time contract.
Furthermore, more than a third (38%) of those questioned in Wales say their current employer offers no opportunity to work flexibly at all.
Amazon say their term-time only jobs help employees and their families
The survey follows a recent expansion of Amazon’s own ground-breaking term-time working option which aims to help employees and their families. The flexibility guarantees time off during the summer, Christmas and Easter school holidays for parents, grandparents and guardians of school-age children.
Launched as a response to employee feedback, term-time working is now available to thousands of people across Amazon’s operations network following a pilot in the company’s larger fulfilment centres to understand how the option could better support families during school holidays.
The company also recently introduced Amazon Anytime; a flexible part-time contract for a minimum of 80 hours a month, which lets employees pick and mix the shifts which suit their needs – part-day or full-day, day or night, weekday or weekend.
The new survey also reveals:
- Three quarters (72%) of working parents in Wales say flexible working is a priority when thinking about their next job
- A better work-life balance (58%) and less commuting (54%) are the top perceived benefits of flexibility for working parents in Wales
Swansea Dad: “Flexibility has a very positive impact and creates a great balance in the family unit”
David Brownhill (pictured with his daughters above) works at Amazon’s Swansea Fulfilment centre. The single dad, who has twin teenage daughters, joined Amazon six years ago after being made redundant from a previous job. He switched to a term-time contract last year and explains this gives him the stabilisation and flexibility he needs to prioritise his family. He says the contracts means he has ‘prioritised his children’ and it’s important they ‘know he’s there’.
“I’m turning 50 over the summer and we’re going to try and do something really special. One daughter will be abroad – volunteering for a time – but we’re trying to get away. We’re thinking about Egypt, but we like Cornwall too. It’s all about spending this special time with them before they’re older; creating more great memories after some challenges we’ve experienced.
“This contract takes so much pressure off, particularly as a single parent, when you’re managing a number of conflicting priorities. I’m trying to do the best I can for my kids and this flexibility gives me certainty.
“Before Amazon, my previous job took up much of my life and I lost some of the magical times with them when they were young. As I’ve got older my mindset has changed and I’m trying to catch up and be there more. This flexibility has a very positive impact and creates a great balance in the family unit. We’re all happier for it.”
John Boumphrey, Amazon’s UK Country Manager, said: “These findings clearly demonstrate the huge importance of workplace flexibility, and why it matters so much to employees in Wales and across the UK. At Amazon, we’re always listening to our employees and innovating for our people, and we’re delighted to offer these ground-breaking contracts to help provide employees and their families more flexible options.
“We have a variety of different full-time and part-time contracts, and we’ve also provided a four-day working week for our fulfilment centre employees for many years. Term-time working and Amazon Anytime are examples of how we continue to use feedback to support our people, help with childcare needs, and give families more time together.”
Amazon employees can also take advantage of Amazon’s pioneering Career Choice programme, which pre-pays up to 95% of costs for nationally accredited courses in high-demand fields (up to £8,000 over four years), regardless of whether the skills are relevant to a career at Amazon.
Competitive pay, comprehensive benefits and a modern, safe and engaging work environment are provided for Amazon employees. The roles pay a minimum of £12.30 per hour depending on location, as well as up to £33,500 a year for degree-level apprenticeships. All employees can also benefit from a package that includes private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection, and an employee discount – which combined are worth thousands annually – as well as a company pension plan.
Amazon has been named as a ‘Top Employer UK 2024’ by the Top Employer Institute, one of the world’s most prestigious certifications in the field of human resources management. This award recognises Amazon’s commitment to the development and well-being of its employees. In addition to the UK accolade, Amazon has also been certified as one of the Top Employers in Europe for a second consecutive year.
Amazon was also recently ranked first in the top 50 employers of veterans in the UK by the GREAT British Employers of Veterans, a comprehensive benchmark of the leading companies that employ veterans.