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Facilitating home working can help businesses address gender gaps, an expert has argued.

Research by the Chartered Management Institute this week revealed a disparity in salary remains at senior managerial level, with men earning an average of £10,000 more per year.

A spokesperson for the Equality and Human Rights Commission suggested pay differences can be indicative of inequality in the workplace, but she highlighted workforce mobility as a potential means to address this.

"We're very keen on flexible working practices - allowing people to work part-time, at home [and at] different hours," she said, encouraging business to take a "can-do attitude to people who have responsibilities outside of work".

The expert went on to suggest introducing home working as an option would benefit men as well as women, as many fathers want to participate equally in family life.

However, Bar Huberman of Xpert HR recently emphasised the importance of conducting assessments of employees' environments if they are home working, as companies have health and safety obligations regardless of location.

Posted by Jack Gilbert