According to a recent report from the TUC - “A future that works for working people” - UK employers are being asked to consider changing to a four-day week, but experts stress that greater flexibility is more important than focusing on the days worked.
For some time, a shorter working week - bringing more control over everyone’s time - has been promised as a result of the progress made in technology. However, it has been found that new technology is actually likely to increase the working life as workers are required to be constantly available for work.
In their survey, the TUC found that over 1.4 million people are now working on 7 days of the week and 3.3 million people work more than 45 hours a week. It also found that stress and long hours are workers’ biggest concerns after pay and they struggle to get the hours they need to fit in with family life.
The TUC’s report makes a case for technological advances reducing workload and boosting productivity without the necessity to forgo pay. The survey - consisting of 2,145 UK workers - found that 81 per cent wanted to reduce their future working time and 45 per cent chose a four-day working week.
TUC General Secretary, Frances O’Grady stated:
“Working people deserve their fair share – and that means using the gains from new tech to raise pay and allow more time with their families. If productivity gains from new technology are even half as good as promised, then the country can afford to make working lives better.”
The report showed that 74 per cent of workers want technology to give them more control over their working lives, but 51 per cent expected that the benefits of new technology would be kept by management - whilst a third considered that benefits would be equally shared between employers, shareholders and employees.
CIPD Diversity and Inclusion Adviser, Claire McCartney commented:
“Some people might be working quite long hours, which works for them and their employer. If people have greater flexibility to choose what works for them, they are able to control their work-life balance.”
Jobs Expert at totaljobs, Lynn Cahillane advised:
“In the shorter term, there are simple ways companies can improve productivity without taking Friday off. This could be as simple as shortening meetings, implementing email blackout periods and encouraging full-hour lunch breaks away from desks.”
Matthew Buskell, Area Vice President for EMEA at corporate learning leader Skillsoft, was of the opinion that employees should be trained in the new skills essential to overcome the paradox of automation. He stated:
“As we become more reliant on technology, the less inclined we are to take control of exceptional cases when technology fails. Keeping human skills sufficiently fresh to know when and how to intervene will become increasingly critical."
