Larger businesses more likely to offer support, survey finds
In 2023, four out of five New Zealand businesses embraced flexible working hours, showcasing a growing trend towards adaptable work environments, according to fresh figures from Stats NZ.
The statistic jumped to 90% among large businesses with 100 or more employees. The industries leading this shift include professional, scientific, and technical services at 95%, information media and telecommunications at 94%, and financial and insurance services at 92%.
Beyond flexible hours
Apart from flexible hours, businesses are increasingly offering part-time roles and enhanced support for health and wellbeing.
“Larger businesses were more likely to offer health and wellbeing support, and to offer beyond what is required by law for parental leave, redundancy, and illness or injury provisions,” Ricky Ho (pictured above), business performance manager, said in a news release.
The survey also found that more than 40% of businesses provided the option to work from home, with 14% of employees utilising this opportunity.
The information media and telecommunications industry led with an 86% offer rate, followed closely by financial and insurance services and professional, scientific, and technical services. In this sector, 30% of staff opted for remote work on a typical day in 2023.
Remote work offerings differed significantly across sectors, with less likelihood in industries such as accommodation and food services, agriculture, forestry, and fishing, and other services like repair and maintenance.
About the Stats NZ survey
The Business Operations Survey, targeting businesses with six or more employees, ran from August to November. It covered a range of topics from operations and innovation to climate change.
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