Changing Times Options
Time rises - organising working hours more flexibly - can be just as important as pay rises for some workers
Pay rises are designed to reward, motivate and retain existing staff and be part of the package that recruits new staff. Pay is always important, particularly for lower paid workers.
But time rises - organising working hours more flexibly or shortening hours - can be just as important and achieve similar results.
For unions, time rises can be an effective negotiating strategy for delivering what many members want from their work.
In a government commissioned survey Work-Life Balance 2000: the Baseline Study , a key finding was that:
"There was a substantial demand for flexible working time arrangements from employees. More men wanted flexitime, compressed hours, and annualised hours than women. Women were more likely than men to want term-time working or reduced hours."
Being aware of tried and tested options for work-life balance is important to the process of agreeing new ways of working.
Organisations and individuals will need to 'pick and mix' to find the right combination of working time policies for a particular workplace.
While a number of options can be introduced at the same time and some will overlap, the options here are presented as 'individual' options that can be taken-up on that basis and 'collective' options which will probably require participation by all or most employees in a particular work group or area.
- part-time - the most widely used form of flexible working
- v-time - voluntarily reducing hours for a set period
- job-share - two people sharing one job
- term-time working - for parents of school-age children
- compressed working week - same hours in less days
- working from home - flexibility to better manage your workload
- time off in lieu (TOIL) - time-off instead of overtime pay
- time accounts - banking hours for the future
Collective Options are:
- Flexitime and flexible retirement - providing choice
- Staggered hours - providing choice
- Compressed hours
- Self-rostering - providing individual control
- Annual hours systems - for organisations working 24 hours every day
- Annualised hours - for continuous manufacturing
The most recent documents available on this subject are:
Changing Times Newsletter No.86
CONTENTS
Union news: UNISON adds substance to new equality duty * Qualified welcome for extras hols * Scrap carers' earnings limit – Usdaw * TUC enquiry into vulnerable workers * Unite demands protection for agency workers
Other news: Shakeup of equality law planned * Baby-time initiative fails new fathers * Society failing dads says EOC * UK staff 'denied flexible work' * Pregnant women face discrimination * Government to act on work abuse evidence * News in brief
Resources: Winning worker controlled flexibility
International news: Europe: Report reveals gender problems at work * Global: One in five work ‘excessive' hours * Global round-up
3 July 2007
Changing Times Newsletter No. 85
CONTENTS
Union news: New supermarket deal on foster carers * Unite to pursue airlines over holiday pay * Earnings rule ‘leaves carers in limbo' * Tribunal victory for agency workers * A temp's lot is not always a happy one * TUC submission on equality and skills
Other news: Give dads and mums maximum choice * UK families need two wage packets * Europe faces up to diversity challenge * Smarter working is good for you * News in brief
Resources: New CEHR newsletter on equality issues * Updated TUC know your rights leaflets * Wrexham's guide on work-life challenge * Wales TUC Equal at Work project
Events: Equality and discrimination seminars, Wales
International news: Canada: One-third admit they are ‘workaholics' * Global: Union welcome for ILO work equality report * New Zealand: Call for work-life balance for all * Global round-up
24 May 2007
Changing Times Newsletter No. 84
CONTENTS
Union news: Unions welcome improved job rights * Don't make workers wait for their hols * Petition reveals BBC nursery anger * Chancellor praises Usdaw work-life lead
Other news: Top firms join part-time work scheme * Bosses ignorant on maternity rights * Call for maternity help for small firms * Welsh business leaders back flexible work * News in brief
Events: Work Wise Week, 16-22 May 2007
Resources: ACAS guide on flexible working * Maternity and parental rights guide * New from Eurofound
International news: Global: Call for action on gender equality goals * Japan: Women cabin crew win payout * Global round-up.
30 April 2007
Changing Times Newsletter No.83
CONTENTS
Special feature – the Work and Families Act: Work and Families Act 2006 takes effect * Are employers up to the Act? * Bosses mixed on new work-life rights * Carers UK prepares employers for new duties * Usdaw throws a work-life balance thank you party
Union news: Government must act on council equal pay, says TUC * Woman BA pilot wins flexible working fight * Shopworkers win big store xmas breaks
Other news: Blair outlines vision for 'flexi-Britain' * Mothers face most prejudice at work * Working flat out and feeling fed up * Cautious welcome for Brown's benefits package * Lib Dems launch flexible work campaign * Firms get help with new maternity rules * News in brief
Resources: Working women's daily news * ILO resource guide on workplace gender equality
International news: Australia: Long work hours linked to family breakdown * Europe: Unions call for action on work-life balance * Global round-up
30 March 2007
Changing Times Newsletter No 82
Union news: BBC children in need... of nurseries * Schools learn work-life balance lessons * TUC warns consultation misses temp work troubles * Union reps really make a difference * Venture capitalists don't care about workers
Other news: Unbalanced future faces families * Minister seeks flexible working for all * New plan to force lone parents back to work * Parents “cannot afford” rising childcare costs * News in brief
Events: 23 February – the time to stop working! * Better balance better business conference, Cardiff, 29 March * Supporting women at work conference, Bristol, 25 April
Resources: ATL work-life balance toolkit * Irish Work Life Balance website
International news: Europe: More work hours mean less balance * Joint action working on gender inequalities * USA: More women becoming major breadwinners * Global round-up
22 February 2007
Changing Times Newsletter No.81
CONTENTS
Union news: Unpaid hours cost workers £4,800 a year * STUC launches workplace equality award * Scots signallers in strike ballot over 35-hour week * ‘Management culture' hurting overworked lecturers * Teachers back NUT on workload action
Other news: Work “just isn't working” warns EOC * Smarter working deal kicks off * Millions to benefit from extra holidays * Women still missing in top posts * News in brief
Resources: New UNISON online equal pay resource * EuroFound loses old name, finds new look
Events: Wales TUC equal pay seminar, 21 February
International news: Europe: Euro equal opportunities year underway * Call for action on jobs and gender equality * France: Union calls day of action on demanding work * Global: Rich nations need more gender sensitivity
29 January 2007
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