Flexible hiring is no longer a perk. It’s how you find the right HR talent.

I work four days a week. That was part of the deal from day one. Two days in London, two remote. It’s not a compromise, it’s what makes my job work for me, my family and my career, and I’m not the exception anymore.

As a recruiter specialising in mid-senior HR roles across commerce and industry, I’ve seen a real shift in what candidates want, and what hiring managers are willing to offer. Flexible working isn’t just a trend. It’s part of a broader change in how we think about talent acquisition, retention and the future of work.

We’re not just talking about remote work anymore. In fact the appetite for this is diminishing. Instead, we’re seeing compressed weeks, fractional contracts and part-time roles (typically sitting around 80% FTE) that are strategic, high-impact and filled by high-potential candidates. This isn’t about winding down, it’s about building a career that fits real life.

The hidden talent pool is growing. Are you looking in the right places?

Jessica Lynch-Blosse, People Director at The Old Vic, shared a great example. Ahead of launching their new six-storey building, Backstage, they needed to recruit an entire food and beverage team in a short timeframe. Their internal People team are experienced recruiters, but they recognised that hospitality hiring moves at a different pace and often requires a different recruitment process and decided a part-time option was exactly what they needed to deliver the project.

“I had expected there wouldn’t be many who were looking for part-time work but we were quite pleasantly surprised with the talent pool. Candidates had different reasons as to why our three-day-a-week proposition might work for them – from working around caring commitments, to relocating, to a stop gap between jobs.”

This wasn’t just a cost-saving exercise, it was a strategic hire. They brought in someone with specialist experience, on a part-time basis, who could hit the ground running and support a major capital project. It’s a great example of how flexible hiring can unlock hidden talent and deliver real business value, especially when you’re facing a skills shortage or trying to close specific skills gaps.

Part-time doesn’t mean part-committed

HRBP Agnieszka Thomas took charge as Lead HR for Europe, working 32 hours a week for a global infrastructure business, and sums it up beautifully:

“Working on a part-time basis always translates into a commitment to deliver results within a reduced timeframe, which requires being highly organised and structured with the time available.”

In her own experience, working part-time meant anticipating delays, planning around others’ workflows and maintaining a high level of accountability. She also highlighted a common challenge: visibility. Part-time employees can sometimes be overlooked for promotions or stretch projects, not because of performance, but because they’re simply not in the room as often.

That’s why it’s so important for HR teams and senior leaders to be intentional about inclusion. Flexible working should never mean fewer opportunities. In fact, it often sharpens focus, improves time management and brings a level of discipline that benefits the whole team. It also supports upskilling efforts, allowing human resource professionals to grow in roles that suit their lives, not just their job titles.

CVs don’t tell the whole story

If your CV includes a career break, a freelance chapter or a shift in direction, that’s not something to apologise for. Whether it was time out for maternity leave, caring responsibilities or to prevent burnout, it’s part of your story. And increasingly, hiring managers are seeing that as a valuable asset.

Flexibility used to be something you had to earn — a reward for years of loyalty in a full-time role. But that’s changed. Today, you can enter the hiring process with specific requirements from day one. The law supports it, and so do many forward-thinking employers. You don’t need to hide a different schedule or justify a non-linear path.

As recruiters, we’re here to advocate for you. We’ll check early on whether a role can accommodate your needs, so no one’s wasting time. Flexible working doesn’t make you less of a candidate. It just means you’re looking for a role that fits your life. And our job is to make sure the best person gets put forward, regardless of whether they’re working 80% FTE or have taken a break.

We also know that resumes don’t always reflect the full picture. Passive candidates often have the exact skills our clients need, and that’s why we don’t just rely on applications to find them. A candidate is more than a CV, and a vacancy is more than an empty chair. It’s not enough to match skills to a job description. Our hiring process is built around understanding the person behind the profile and the story behind the role.

As CVs become easier to optimise with AI, they’re also becoming less reliable. Anyone can tailor a resume to a job with the click of a button, but that doesn’t tell us who they are, how they work or what they value. That’s why we go beyond job boards, using our network, LinkedIn and referrals to find the right talent.

Recruitment is a people business. That’s why we have briefing calls, interviews and real conversations — because finding the right person isn’t about ticking boxes. It’s about listening, asking the right questions and making sure there’s alignment. That’s what gives organisations working with HR recruitment agencies a competitive advantage.

Flexible working isn’t just remote work

Sir Robert McAlpine is one of several companies exploring new ways of working. They took part in a compressed week trial, a bold move for a construction firm in a traditionally male-dominated industry. But it wasn’t just about shorter hours. It was part of a much broader commitment to inclusion and diversity initiatives.

Sir Robert McAlpine is just one example, but it shows what’s possible when flexibility is built into your workforce strategy from the ground up. Their approach also demonstrates a strong sense of corporate social responsibility, ensuring their workforce reflects the communities they serve.

Flexible working also supports neurodiversity in the workplace. By offering different structures and workflows, companies can better accommodate diverse thinking styles and create more inclusive environments.

Campaigners like Anna Whitehouse and Joeli Brearley have helped bring this conversation into the mainstream since 2015. Anna’s “Flex Appeal” campaign has challenged outdated views on part-time work, calling for more inclusive hiring practices and better support for working parents. She’s spoken in Parliament, on national radio and across social media, reminding employers that flexibility isn’t a favour, it’s a fundamental part of modern working life. Joeli Brearley founded Pregnant Then Screwed, a charity and movement that fights for the rights of mothers and caregivers in the workplace. Their campaigns have highlighted the legal and cultural barriers faced by those who request flexible working, and they’ve been instrumental in pushing for policy change, employer accountability and better support for working families.

The numbers speak for themselves

According to our latest UK and Ireland HR salary guide, the top two priorities for HR leaders in 2025 are employee retention (40.85%) and structural changes (38.50%). Flexible hiring directly supports both. It helps you keep great people and adapt to changing skill requirements. It helps you build a talent pipeline that’s ready for what’s next.

And with forecasting becoming more critical to business success, HR teams need to think ahead. What roles will be needed in six months? What skills are missing now? How can onboarding be streamlined to reduce time-to-hire? These are the metrics that matter, and flexible hiring can help you improve them.

Even global workforce trends are shifting. Companies like Microsoft are investing in flexible work initiatives, recognising that talent are no longer limited by geography. Whether you’re hiring full-time or fractional, your approach needs to reflect the reality of today’s market.

So what now?

If you’re a hiring manager, ask yourself: are your job descriptions and hiring criteria too rigid? Could a part-time, compressed or fractional hire solve your challenge without compromising on quality?

If you’re a job seeker, know this: you’re not alone. The market is changing. Talent like you is being seen, heard and hired. Whether you’re looking for a new job or exploring a different way of working, there are more options than ever.

And if you’re unsure where to start, we’re here to help. At Frazer Jones, we’ve placed part-time, fractional and flexible talent across industries, from hospitality to pharmaceuticals, tech to non-profit. We understand the recruitment process, and we know how to find the right talent — even passive talent who’s not on job boards or actively applying.

Submit a vacancy below or get in touch with us today. Let’s talk about what’s possible.