Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.In 2000, the Government launched the Work-Life Balance Campaign, targeting employers to promote the benefits of flexible working for all employees. Although this campaign was not specifically aimed at parents or carers, the legislation restricted rights to apply for changes in the hours, timing or place of work to those employees with caring responsibilities. The then Department for Education and Employment (later the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and now the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS)) carried out the first Work-Life Balance Survey (WLB1) in 2000 (held at the UK Data Archive under SN 4465). It was used to assess how far employers operated work-life balance practices and whether employees felt that existing practices met their needs. The first survey was followed up in 2003 by a second survey, a two-part survey of employees and employers (WLB2) (held under SNs 5079 and 5080) and by a third wave in 2006 and 2007 (WLB3) (held under SNs 7028 and 5787). The fourth employee survey was carried out in 2011 (held under SN 7112) and the fourth employers survey was completed in 2013 (held under SN 7775).

The main aims of the fourth Work-life Balance Employee Survey (WLB4) were to: ascertain the demand for work-life balance practices and employee perceptions of the availability of such practices in their workplace;assess take-up of work-life balance practices including reasons for non-take-up (e.g. impact on job security and promotion);ascertain employees' views on both the benefits and detrimental effects of flexible working;ascertain employees' views on the impact of work-life balance practices, including the impact on employee commitment, and the employment relations climate;examine entitlements and take-up of paid annual leave and other forms of emergency and parental leave;explore weekly working hours in terms of number of hours worked, paid and unpaid overtime and number of days off.

Main Topics:

The WLB4 Employees' Survey covered the following topics: screening questions; background information; hours of work; work-life balance practices and policies; holidays and time off work; caring responsibilities; childcare; details of job and employer; demographic information.

Simple random sample

Telephone interview