The three families federations have emphasised the importance of remote and hybrid working opportunities for military families in response to a call for evidence by a House of Lords Select Committee.
AFF, the Naval Families Federation and the RAF Families Federation welcomed the chance to provide answers for the inquiry and pointed to the need for flexibility and portability of employment in the face of challenges presented by mobility and separation as a result of military life.
They asked the committee to “consider the positive impact that increased opportunities for remote and hybrid working have in improving employment prospects for the spouses and partners of serving British military personnel.”
The families federations worked together on the submission to ensure the voice of serving military families was heard and because they recognised the importance of home-based working for family members to be able to maintain their careers and provide a second income.
Barriers to employment
Their response included evidence from the latest Tri-Service Families Continuous Attitude Survey (FAMCAS) and from AFF’s 2024 Spouse and Partner Employment Survey report, which highlighted barriers to employment that included the impact of overseas postings and lack of childcare.
It also said a positive to come out of the COVID pandemic was that working from home became the norm for many people. “The families federations strongly feel that a return to pre-pandemic solely office-based working arrangements would be a regression and would see many more partners struggling to maintain employment.”
And it drew attention to Forces Families Jobs, the tri-Service Families Federations career portal for military family members where top key-word searches on the jobs board are “remote” and “home working” because of the need for flexibility to be able to meet the demands of a job and solo parenting when the Service person is deployed. Read the full response: Tri Families Federation’s response to the House of Lords Select Committee’s call for evidence into remote and hybrid working in the UK
POSTED ON 7 MAY 2025
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