LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network, has today launched #FlexibleIs, a global, integrated campaign running across the Australia, UK, France, Germany and India, which highlights the importance of flexibility in creating a fairer world of work and keeping women in employment.
As part of LinkedIn’s commitment to create a more equitable world of work for women following its global partnership with International Women’s Day, the campaign aims to break biases around career flexibility, and showcases how flexibility means different things to different professionals.
The campaign leads with a film showcasing stories from people across the globe, highlighting what flexibility means to them, and encourages open and honest conversations about the pressures professionals face every day.
The film, directed by Anne Hollowday, takes viewers on a journey to meet members and offers a glimpse into just how crucial flexibility is right now.
The campaign will see LinkedIn bring together influencers, creators, and the community to share what flexible working means to them, and how it has supported their careers using the #FlexibleIs hashtag.
LinkedIn has recently introduced a new ‘career break’ option, giving members a new way to reflect breaks from work on their LinkedIn Profile and normalise flexible careers.
The launch comes as data continues to show the disproportionate impact the pandemic has had on women. Globally, women’s employment declined by 4.2 per cent during the pandemic, representing a drop of 54 million jobs, while men’s employment declined by 3 per cent. New research from LinkedIn of nearly 23,000 people across the globe finds that 55 per cent of women say they have either left their job or considered leaving their job due to a lack of flexibility.
Furthermore, data from LinkedIn shows that women are 24 per cent more likely to apply for remote roles, underscoring the importance of flexibility in making workplaces equitable.
In Australia, just over 2 in 3 women say they want more flexibility in their work, but despite the shift in employment standards due to the pandemic and increased flexibility in the workplace, there are still many challenges being faced by Australian female workers seeking greater flexibility – with 50 per cent of women having to take pay cut to work flexibly.
Further to this, 50 per cent of respondents believe increased flexibility at work improves work/life balance.
Ngaire Moyes, vice president, communications and brand, international, at LinkedIn said: “The pandemic brought a revolution in flexible working. And now many professionals, particularly women, rightly don’t want to go back to the way things were as it has improved their lives in untold ways.
“Our study finds that over half of women have either left their job or considered leaving because of a lack of flexibility. Yet misconceptions and biases remain around flexible work.
“Through LinkedIn’s new marketing campaign, #FlexibleIs, we are bringing the LinkedIn community together to create a global conversation and raise awareness about why flexibility matters, what it means to people and how it can benefit employers – and in doing so we hope to further normalise flexibility at work.
Nicky Vita, Head of Planning, VCCP, comments: “LinkedIn’s global research proves just how important flexibility is to working women, but also how strong the stigma around it is, which can negatively impact women’s careers. With the pandemic forcing big changes to where we work, there has never been a more critical time to shine a light on all the forms of flexibility that are crucial to making the world of work fairer for all. With this launch, we’re calling on the LinkedIn community to open up about how flexible working improves their lives, from students to mums and dads, to people who have a hustle on the side. #FlexibleIs celebrates true flexibility, in all its forms, for everyone.”
LinkedIn is also offering free courses to help support flexibility and inclusivity in the workplace, with LinkedIn Learning courses available on Negotiating Work Flexibility, Preparing Your Family Leave and Return and Inclusive Female Leadership. The courses are available for free from 1st to 31st May.
