The most recent Quarterly Versatile Working Index, which analysed job seekers’ priorities during the last three months, has recorded large demand for roles that provide psychological well being assist, and file numbers of staff expressing a choice for “Work From Anyplace” schemes.

The Index analyses information from Flexa: the platform the place each versatile firm will get found. This newest evaluation pooled information insights from over 350,000 job searches, in addition to preferences expressed by over 8,000 jobseekers as to the place, when and the way they need to work between April and June 2023.

A 3rd of staff need psychological well being assist

Demand for office psychological well being assist was constantly excessive during the last quarter, with a mean of just about 1 in 3 staff expressing a choice for firms that provide psychological well being assist between April and June 2023. This marks a 20% enhance in demand for psychological well being assist since July 2022, when only a quarter of all job seekers expressed a choice for firms that supplied psychological well being assist to staff.

Demand for office psychological well being assist is even higher amongst disabled staff. Because the begin of the 12 months, the variety of disabled staff preferring to work for firms which supply psychological well being assist has risen by 7%: up from 55% of all disabled staff in July final 12 months to 59% of all disabled staff final quarter. This implies disabled staff are nearly twice as prone to search out firms that provide psychological well being assist in comparison with non-disabled staff.

The findings come as newest ONS figures present that the variety of people who find themselves out of labor on account of long-term illness is at a file excessive. Separate analysis discovered {that a} psychological well being problem is the most typical motive behind this pattern.

Molly Johnson-Jones, CEO and co-founder of Flexa, feedback: “Annually, 1 in 4 folks will expertise psychological well being points. The silver lining within the information we’ve collected at Flexa is that staff evidently really feel more and more in a position to assert their want for assist. Job seekers know that, even when they’re not struggling now, they could want psychological healthcare sooner or later – and will likely be greatest protected if they’re working for employers who genuinely prioritise staff’ wellbeing. Employers who make strong psychological well being assist accessible to all employees year-round – employers like Silverrail, hedgehog lab and Learnerbly – have one thing price shouting about. They’ve precisely what staff are in search of proper now.

“Office psychological well being assist must be a precedence for all firms seeking to nurture inclusive cultures. Our information additionally highlights the significance of psychological well being assist with regards to creating accessible workplaces for disabled candidates. The numbers communicate for themselves, and we will’t afford to disregard them. Nearly 6 in 10 disabled staff need roles that provide psychological well being assist.”

Seasonal working tendencies stronger than ever as summer time begins

A resurgence within the variety of staff seeking to work from totally different areas, kick-started by hotter spring months, has continued with the onset of summer time. Specifically, “Work From Anyplace” (WFA) schemes – whereby staff can spend a time period working outdoors their regular jurisdiction – have soared in reputation.

The variety of job seekers expressing a choice for firms that provide WFA schemes rose 10% between April and June 2023, when a colossal 88% of all staff most well-liked WFA jobs: the very best quantity recorded by the Index because it launched in July 2022. The variety of staff actively looking for WFA roles skyrocketed by 120% between April and June 2023, when a 3rd of all job hunters had been looking for WFA schemes.

Demand for “totally distant” roles – whereby there isn’t a obligation for staff to come back into an workplace – additionally grew month-on-month final quarter. By June 2023, an enormous 59% of all staff expressed a choice for totally distant roles, up by 13% from April this 12 months.

The seasonality behind demand for versatile working areas applies to working hours, too. During the last three months, the variety of job seekers expressing a choice for “summer time hours” rose by 9% – up from 22% of all staff in April to nearly 1 / 4 of all staff in June 2023 – as staff look to take advantage of longer and hotter evenings.

Molly Johnson-Jones, CEO and co-founder of Flexa, feedback: “We noticed totally distant roles fall out of favour with job seekers final autumn, with demand dropping to an all-time low in December. The reversal of this pattern, which started in spring and has continued into the summer time, highlights the seasonality behind demand for various working areas.

“Firms that provide totally distant work – like Form3 – and Work From Anyplace Schemes – like Fika and Huel – are the main focus of candidates’ consideration proper now. It’s not laborious to think about why. This type of flexibility permits staff to journey for prolonged intervals with out having to make use of up annual go away or take a reduce in pay – a very interesting prospect throughout the hotter months.”