The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is urging bosses to implement flexible working to steer through the economic uncertainty.
Speaking today (Wednesday) at the annual Work Wise UK summit, TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said that whilst flexible working practices had progressed, there are worrying signs that long hours are enjoying a cultural renaissance, along with unpaid overtime and wasteful commuting time.
Recent TUC reports on work-life balance show that in the last year alone, the 10-year decline in long hours working has stalled and then started to rise again, with 175,000 more people working more than 48 hours per week in 2007, compared to 2006.
The number of employees who commute for more than an hour a day has increased by 40% in the last decade. The amount of unpaid overtime across the UK is now worth a record £25 billion a year, with nearly 5 million people working an average of seven hours 12 minutes unpaid overtime every week.
Barber addressed delegates at the conference: “As we enter a period of economic uncertainty, it’s tempting for employers to retreat from innovative working practices and instead work existing staff harder and longer. But the need for increased productivity is greater than ever, which makes this the perfect time for companies to introduce smarter working practices. Those employers who are keen to make flexible working work for their business and staff will find willing accomplices in trade unions.”
