New research reveals half of Scottish workers want more flexibility at work

A YouGov poll commissioned by Amazon, reveals half (51%) of working parents in Scotland want more flexibility in their jobs, while more than one in three (34%) parents in Scotland said they would consider switching to a term-time contract.

Furthermore, almost half (44%) of those questioned in Scotland say their current employer offers no opportunity to work flexibly at all.

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 that three quarters (74%) of working parents in Scotland say flexible working is a priority when thinking about their next job. The study also shows that a better work-life balance (63%) and less commuting (53%) are the top perceived benefits of flexibility for working parents in Scotland.

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 Scotland 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.”

David Brownhill is a single dad, with twin daughters, who joined Amazon in Swansea six years ago and recently switched to term-time working: “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. The flexibility has a very positive impact and creates a great balance in the family unit. We’re all happier for it.”

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.