FLEXIBLE HOURS ENGENDER WORK/LIFE BALANCE - BURT

12.00.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 25th May 2006

Companies and families would be better off if men behaved more like women in the workplace, according to delegates in a work/life balance seminar sponsored by Liverpool University yesterday:

Liberal Democrat Women and Equalities Spokesperson, Lorely Burt, who was present at the conference said:

"Many men are keen to take a more balanced attitude to flexibility in the workplace.

"Women who want to progress in their career and have a family have been penalised by a work culture of presentism. We work the longest hours in Europe but productivity is not directly related to the number of hours spent at one's desk.

"Employers who show flexibility to workers of both sexes will be rewarded with hard-working staff who are all the more motivated to do a good job because they appreciate the give and take approach".

ENDS