Employers must do more to encourage flexible working practices such as those practiced by IT contractors, it has been claimed.

The latest research from recruitment group Hays has indicated that 46 per cent of workers are under the impression that their employer does not encourage flexible working.

This is despite that fact that a previous study by PricewaterhouseCoopers has shown flexible working to be the most valuable benefit for employees, ahead of financial bonuses.

Reacting to the Hays data, the associate director for The Work Foundation Stephen Overell claims that it is now incumbent on businesses to make flexible working more accessible for ordinary employees.

"There is a very strong demand for it from workers. Employers have changed quite quickly over the last few years and flexible working is really not that old," he said.

Flexible working can benefit both employer and employee, as it can be a good way to meet customer expectations outside of standard working hours, Mr Overell concluded.