Charity Working Families will this week launch a manifesto for changes needed to ensure work genuinely works for all.

The document, which contains eight policy recommendations for the government elected in 2015, is being released during National Work-Life week. It includes the implementation of a ‘flexible by default’ approach to job design and recruitment in the public sector, and challenges ministers to champion the same approach in the private sector.

“For far too long and for far too many families, work isn’t working,” said Working Families. Time-poor, cash-poor – often both – many feel they aren’t doing justice to either home or work life. Something has to change.”

It added that for employers a lack of flexibility at work has huge costs in low productivity, lost skills and experience, and a shrinking talent pool.

The recommendations include:

• The establishment of ‘adjustment leave’ to enable families to weather short-term crises such as death or illness without having to give up work
• A flexible by default approach to public sector job design and recruitment, plus ministers to encourage business leaders to adopt this strategy
• Appointment of a cabinet-level, cross-departmental minister for childcare

The full manifesto will be launched on Tuesday 23 September.

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