Flexible working is good for you!

People who can choose their own working hours enjoy better physical and mental health. That’s the finding of health researchers for the Cochrane Library.

They found that employees who had control of their hours could have better blood pressure and heart rates.

Its review of 10 studies of more than 16,000 people also said it might have a positive impact on mental health.

Since 2009, parents in the UK with children under 16 have been able to apply for flexible working, and many businesses across offer staff flexible working arrangements, giving them a better work/life balance and allowing them to travel more flexibly.

Measures include allowing staff to work from home, flexible start and finish times, allowing employees to organise working days around public transport, car sharing opportunities, daylight, child care and other non-work commitments or to avoid congestion

The Federation of Small Businesses said many small firms offered flexible working but working from home did not suit industries such as retail or construction.

For more information about flexible working and ideas on how you could work more flexibly, go to our Flexible Working section.

The full research report can be viewed on The Cochrane Library website.