Amidst growing support from the public and MPs alike, government is being pressured to adopt laws in favour of flexible work schedules. Latest surveys show that the vast majority of people in the UK are keen on laws that would allow for more flexibility in the ways in which firms would need to schedule them upon request.
The figures show that greater than 3/4 the population and 66% of politicians believe that the economy would actually be stimulated if there was more flexibility in the way firms scheduled their workers. Furthermore, a vast majority of people and politicians believe that firms that have already adopted these measures have fared much better during the recent recession.
At the moment government is considering shaking up the employment rules in order to give workers the right to request flexibility in the way they are scheduled. Under consideration are several proposals that would allow for a menu of choices workers could ask for. For example, some of the choices would include a four day work week whilst others would be schedules that have the worker off when schools are not in session, such as during holidays.
Some lobby groups claim that this kind of flexibility is ‘unworkable’ for big businesses but PCG that is a huge freelance representative claims that their survey shows overwhelming support. Of those they surveyed there were more than 2,000 individuals and 158 MPs who are in support of adopting these measures.
According to PCG head of public affairs, Simon McVicker, the organisation is calling upon government to give a positive response defining clear policy action. The group would also like to see reform and simplification in the current tax system which would include reworking laws on pensions. They would like to see these tax laws provide benefits that would encourage flexible work plans.
