Flexibility achieves better service for customers, company investment and work-life balance

Solaglas is a UK subsidiary of the French multi-national glassmaker Saint-Gobain, employing glaziers and installation workers. Its Moving Forward Agreement on annualised hours with the GMB and AEEU is designed to focus its business on customer service through flexibility in working hours to meet customer demands. Features of the agreement are:

• single status employment
• annual salaries
• pension
• training for career opportunities
• flexible start times: between 7am and 11am, Monday to Saturday
• computerised working for home-based glaziers using palm-tops for job allocation, progress reports and factory contact.

The benefits are:

For the company - increased productivity, a single pay scheme, flexibility, profitability and significant re-investment by the French parent company

For staff - enhanced terms and conditions – permanent status and greater choice in working time (of particular benefit for two men who were caring for wives with long-term illnesses)

For the customer - work carried out at customer convenience