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I’ve been working at Dstl since January 2007. One of the main attractions of Dstl was the range of flexible working arrangements available.

Initially, I just used the hours element. My daily commute was a round trip of 70 miles and it could take anything from 1 to almost 2 hours each way. By adapting my start and finish times I am able to almost always avoid rush hours, and work longer hours on some days to allow for shorter days where needed. More recently I have utilised the option to work regularly at Portsdown West which is much closer to my home. On occasion I work from home too.

Flexible working helps greatly to support my home life. I am married with school age children, and if I were restricted to fixed hours and places of work I would not be able to help with school runs and lifts to after-school activities. My wife is a district nurse and has her own work commitments and demands, so the option of flexible working means we can share responsibilities fairly.

Arranging flexible working has always been straight-forward with my line managers being fully supportive. I am usually able to plan ahead at home so can be upfront about my plans. But equally they have always understood that occasionally emergency situations arise.

Compared with previous employers Dstl’s flexible working options have had a major beneficial impact on my work-life balance. I am never expected to choose between work commitments and family responsibility. Overall, I am a happier individual in my work now then in previous jobs, and while the nature of the work has a large part to play in this, so does flexible working.