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I agree with the writer. Not many people seem to be familiar with the work of Dr Catherine Hakim. Her thesis is called “Preference Theory”, and it is basically what it says on the tin. She states that approx 1/3 of the population prioritise work (4/7 men and 1/7 women) and though it does not necessarily follow that this third are the top third by ability there is likely to be a substantial overlap.
We are in the very silly situation when it is illegal to specifically seek to recruit these people; and when you have a service to deliver you may well prefer someone competent but a quick learner to someone brilliant but with work/life issues.
I know I would.
Organisations should be free to designate posts as business critical. The roles will have to be very well paid, but the post holder has to agree to work full time on the employer’s premises. They can be subject to pre-appointment health screening. It is part of the deal that an application for flexible working amounts to a resignation and parental/carer rights are similarly excludeable.
I would guess the takers would be married men with stay at home wives, and older women worried about their retirement position.