The coalition government's plan to expand flexible working roles, such as those of IT contractors, will benefit workers and companies alike.

This is the view of public sector workers' union Unison, which claims it has been campaigning for recognition of flexible working for some time.

Flexible working can allow businesses to react to peaks and troughs in demand, while also better reflecting the varied social circumstances of employees, the union adds.

However, Unison's assistant policy officer Michelle Singleton said that this move by the government means other initiatives will not be adopted.

"Unfortunately, it's giving with one and taking with the other; we're not now going to see the extra two weeks that fathers would have got for paternity leave, which is something that was in the Labour manifesto," she explained.

A recent survey conducted by the Government Equalities Office found that around a third of workers were afraid to ask their employer about flexible working, fearing it would make them appear uncommitted.