Macfarlanes seeks to boost diversity with flexi-time

The Lawyer reports that City firm Macfarlanes has widened the scope of its flexible working strategy in an effort to get more women into senior positions. The firm's flexible-working scheme was initially open to parents and carers - with other staff able to work flexibly on an ad hoc basis - but since late last year the scheme is now open to fee-earners and support staff.

Macfarlanes' partner responsible for diversity, Nicola Richards, explained to the publication that part of the firm's motive for enabling more staff to work flexibly was to remove the stigma of flexible working. She said: "I looked at this from the perspective of ­trying to get more women into senior positions, but it shouldn’t be available only for women, otherwise you end up making special arrangements [for them]. What’s important is that this sends a message that working flexibly is no bar to partnership and you’re not a second-class citizen if you work flexibly."