Employers failing to tackle the UK's long hours culture
Employers failing to tackle the UK's long hours culture
Government claims that Britain's long hours culture is being transformed by new rights to request flexible work patterns have been challenged in a new TUC report.
The 'Challenging Times' report found hundreds of thousands have had requests for shorter hours turned down. Almost one in 10 employees in the UK (2.3 million people) would like to work fewer hours, even if this meant taking home less money each month, according to the report. However, more than half a million workers who have asked for a shorter working week have had their requests turned down by their employers. The report reveals that over three quarters of UK employees (77.4 per cent) have no element of flexibility in their employment contracts, prompting the TUC to call for employers to do more to introduce new ways of working that suit companies and individuals alike.
The TUC report says union members are nearly twice as likely to be working flexibly (34.5 per cent), compared to employees from non-unionised workplaces (19.1 per cent). TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said 'many bosses are not imaginative enough to meet flexible requests from employees with anything other than a firm no.' He added: 'Extending the right to request to work flexibly to all workers might actually help more employers embrace a new working culture that benefits them as well. Sadly, our figures suggest that the day when all employees can enjoy a decent work-life balance is still some considerable way off.'
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