Speaking at the CIPD Spotlight on Diversity event, about flexible working, as well as rights for agency workers, she said:
"[At the moment] there is an artificial emphasis on the way people work, instead of what they do. But hierarchies are dying, and thank God. It’s a great new world in which to be an HR person.”
In response to employers’ fears about an influx of requests to work flexibly following the publication of Imelda Walsh’s flexible working review last week – which stated that working parents of children up to the age of 16 will have the right to request flexible working – Waters said: “Sometimes opening floodgates is fantastic. Critical mass can be incredibly helpful.”
Speaking to HR magazine about increasing agency workers’ rights (see story below), Waters said: “The agreement Government has reached with industry is the best compromise. The principle of fairness is right, but you have to look at the impact on costs too. But it’s always good to have different types of workers.”
