Flexible working doesn’t fit with the demands of today’s ‘always there, always on’ corporate IT department, according to Salford University’s Dr Marie Griffiths who led the discussion at recent Forum workshop Nurturing a Balanced IT Workforce.Presenting her extensive research at the workshop, Griffiths reported that many forms of flexible working no longer align well with the practical realities of running an IT function. She also reported that many of the work/life balance or ‘family friendly’ options being offered to IT staff were too impractical to take up. With many businesses now demanding a 24/7 IS service from their corporate IT departments, some employees appear to feel that opting for increased flexible working could damage the business - and their careers.

One participant taking part in the research said: “It’s true that flexible working can be career death to progression and prospects - that’s the business reality. It’s the nature of the industry now to be full on, dedicated and committed and for people to drop everything at a moment’s notice. You have to go wherever you are needed, for as long as it takes to fix whatever is wrong - that doesn’t fit well with a flexible working model.”

Griffiths believes that the demands of an ‘always on’ IS service can only ever be realistically met through a change in mindset - both for people and the IT function - with companies moving towards a ‘contractor’ way of working and people thinking of themselves as freelancers delivering projects rather than employees ‘doing a job’.