COUNTY businesses which offer flexible working conditions could benefit from improved productivity and less overheads, claims Employment Minister Margaret Hodge.

The comments were made as Mrs Hodge handed Hereford and Worcester District Employment Service a new Work-Life Balance Standard award which recognises companies which encourage staff to balance personal and work life.

The initiative aims to improve the quality of life for employees by allowing them the flexibility to spend more time at home to look after children or elderly relatives or to rest.

Hilary Fowler, district personnel manager for the employment service at Worcester district office, said the counties' employment service wanted to be more attractive to staff.

"We aim to be an employer of choice in the region and we believe good work life balance practices will help us achieve that goal," she said.

Amanda Wright, family friendly advisor for the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce, said companies which had implemented the scheme had found it had saved recruitment costs and improved efficiency and production.

But she said the scheme was not just about life outside the office.

"It's about all the issues of improving conditions at work for staff," she said.

"People do work best when there is a balance between home and work life and initiatives which improve the staff's ability to work from home are also very helpful.

"Other examples of companies being more flexible are those which allow staff to work only when their children are at school or introducing flexitime.

"But it's also about improving life at work for staff, for example stress management courses to boost the quality of life at work."

She added in today's environment of low unemployment, businesses which followed the work-life practice would also benefit from lower recruitment costs.

"People today are not as loyal to their employers and if they feel a company down the road is offering better conditions they will leave," she said.

Tracey Evans, human resources manager at Liaison VAT Constancy in Vincent Road, Worcester, which has implemented work-life practices, said it had resulted in happier staff which had reduced recruiting costs.

"It helps the staff get the balance right between work and their private lives which means they are happier," she said.