Will flexible working help solve PR’s diversity and recruitment problems?

The second in our three part mini-series about PR’s hybrid working spectrum, this week we're talking to Rebecca Taylor-Cottle, head of communications, Northern Europe at Citrix about the potential for flexible working to change the landscape of how, and where, people work in PR.Potentially it could mean increased diversity, more older people working in the sector, a less London centric sector and a much easier working environment for parents.Thanks so much, as ever, to the sponsors of the PRmoment podcast, The PRCA.Here’s a summary of what Rebecca and PRmoment founder Ben Smith discussed on The PRmoment podcast.2.05 mins Does allowing employees to work from home increase the diversity of a firm's employees?3 mins “I know a lot of women have left agencies in their early thirties when they decided to start a family just because of the practicalities (of a career in PR), the timings, the commute…”4 mins “I don’t think offering flexibility is ever a bad thing and providing people with more options is always going to attract more people.”5 mins and 9 mins Citrix was founded in 1989 and was “born hybrid.” Rebecca offers some reflections on a business that has a more mature hybrid working programme.6 mins “Leaders need to remember that their preferences are not everybody’s preferences!”7 mins Companies can ignore what their employees want, but then they are likely to have an issue with retention and risk their people going to work for another company that offers them more flexibility.11 mins Is there a danger we end up with a two-tier workforce? One that predominantly works in the office and one that predominantly works from home?12 mins How do we avoid the unspoken perception that if you are in the office more you’re working harder?: Focus on outputs, not presenteeism.15 mins Do Gen Z and millennials want to return to the office? 15.30 mins Citrix’s research suggests that 90 percent of Gen Z and millenials don’t want to return to the office and 46 percent want to work from home all, or most, of the time.17 mins How to retain the learning 'via osmosis' from your colleagues in a virtual environment.20 mins Has a career in PR suddenly become more compatible with being a parent?23 mins Will flexible working see a greater geographical spread of the UK PR scene?24 mins Rebecca gives her top tips for long term flexible working success.27 mins Is the mobile phone the biggest barrier to creating successful work vs home life boundaries?