Creating a fairer Britain
Working Better aims to identify and promote innovative new ways of working which help meet the challenges of the 21st century.
As part of our consultation we spoke to people at big and small businesses to find out how they balance work and personal lives. We talked to both employers and their staff about their personal experiences. Watch the video below to hear what they had to say about flexible working.
As part of our aim to consult and seek the views of experts, the Commission organised a seminar to provide a forum for discussion on some of the key ‘Working Better’ themes and questions. You can view the full report of this seminar here.
There was widespread national coverage of Nichola Brewer's speech at the Working Better launch. Nicola argued: 'The present rights of mothers and fathers appear to support the idea that fathers are 'optional seasoning' in children’s lives while mothers are the main carers. The division between maternity and paternity leave could be entrenching the view that women are the ones who have to pay the career price for motherhood.'
Following on from their initial front page story, the Times newpaper featured lead story with a supportive comment piece: 'Bringing up Baby'. The paper argues that by extending maternity leave rights while assuming fathers have little appetite for child rearing, the law is trying to be modern but failing. Another news story inside the paper quotes fathers organisations, who suggest that, 'paid maternity leave does us no favours either.'
The Daily Telegraph also covered the story with 'Fathers sidelined in bringing up children, says watchdog.' Further coverage continued in the Daily Mail, The Independent and the Financial Times among other papers.
The Times Alpha Mummy blog argues: 'There's been such a focus on getting more maternity leave for women that we haven't noticed that the one-sided benefits aren't always benefitting women or families in general.' On the same subject, Dr Miriam Stoppard argues in the Daily Mirror that 'Dads need more time off to bond with their babies.'
From a very different point of view, James Delingpole in the Daily Telegraph commented, 'Men are made to work not rear children'.
In the days following the launch this story, and the issues it raised, were featured in various media, including: BBC News, The Scotsman, the Edinburgh Evening News the Press & Journal, the Evening Standard, the Guardian (Comment is Free), and The Herald.
On 17 July Nicola Brewer was interviewed by the Evening Standard, where she talks about parental leave from a personal perspective as well as the Working Better initiative.
Read Nicola Brewer's speech at the launch of 'Working Better' consultation