Three quarters (75%) of employers used some form of flexible contract at some point in 2023, and half (48%) of those employers planned to increase use of flexible contracts over the next five years, a report from thinktank the Resolution Foundation has found.

The report also found that 32% of employers who use flexible contracts employ staff who prefer those contracts to other working arrangements.

The report, published yesterday (25 April), defined flexible contracts as variable-hours and zero-hours contracts or temporary work such as casual, seasonal or short-term employment.

Amanda Glover, associate at law firm Clarkslegal, explained that some workers voluntarily opt for flexible contracts while others are given no choice.

Speaking to HR magazine, she said: “On the one hand we have situations where flexible contracts are being accepted by those that absolutely want this type of work – because it fits perfectly at their time of life or into their lifestyle.

“On the other hand, we have others reluctantly accepting flexible contracts because they have no choice but to accept this type of work.

“They are stuck in these arrangements because they cannot find a better alternative or because they have individual circumstances which do not allow for anything other than this type of work.”

Glover added that those who are stuck in flexible arrangements can be without workers’ rights.

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Glover added that those who are stuck in flexible arrangements can be without workers’ rights.