Regional TUC backs Work Wise

May 21 2007 By Graeme Whitfield, The Journal

Smarter working practices can beat stress, aid healthy living and help people achieve a proper work-life balance, unions in the North say.

The TUC in the region has joined the Work Wise campaign to call on employers to implement more flexible work practices for their workers.

And regional secretary Kevin Rowan says there are also benefits for firms in measures such as working from home, job shares and allowing staff to roster their own shifts.

He said: "Our work environment is very different. We are living longer in an increasingly 24/7 culture, with a labour market in which employers are finding it difficult to attract and retain good staff.

"This places new demands on our workers, who often need to combine long working hours with caring responsibilities. Flexible working is one of the strategies that can be adopted to cope with this new working environment, enabling people to juggle work and caring commitments more easily.

"Introducing home working, remote working and job sharing, are all ideas which can suit employees and employers.

"From a worker's point of view, these initiatives can facilitate a much better work-life balance. There is ample experience of people leaving the labour market altogether following the birth of a child, or due to demands of caring for an older relative.

"This proves a costly loss for the individual as well as for the employer who has to pick up the additional costs of recruiting and training a new member of staff."

Mr Rowan's comments have come during Work Wise Week, during which people have been encouraged to work from home and consider the environmental and social benefits of flexible working.

And they have been backed by Ray Smith, regional director of BT in the North-East.

He said: "Thanks to our flexible working policy BT has 20% less absenteeism than the national average; 99% of our employees on maternity leave return to work; and we save 12 million litres of car fuel every year. Work Wise North-East will help bring these benefits to everyone in the region."

The Work Wise campaign in the North-East has attracted wide-ranging support from organisations including the TUC and the North-East Chamber of Commerce as well as employers such as EEF, Dickinson Dees and BT.

The campaign aims to bring to half the working population more choice at work by 2011.

---------------------------------------------------------

Top benefits of flexible working

1. Workers are happier, more motivated, are more productive and customer-friendly.

2. Balancing work and private life means people are less likely to change jobs - this saves in recruitment and training costs.

3. Flexible working reduces sick leave.

4. Fewer people driving in rush hour reduces congestion on North-East roads.

5. Flexible working hours helps the environment with less CO2 emission.

6. Flexible and home working means fewer overheads and better use of working space.

7. Companies attract new talent because people like the option of working flexibly.

8. A flexible worker is a happy and motivated worker - people feel trusted, empowered and willing to go the extra mile.

9. Flexibility can help more involved parenting, leading to closer families and in turn less petty crime.

10. Health of staff improves as flexible working reduces stress levels.