The Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals ……………………………………………………………Policy News Journal
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Is family time through flexible working the future for men? 11 April 2016
UKCES's Working Futures report predicts a dramatic rise in the number of men working part-time in the next ten years.
The report, Working Futures , published by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES), projects that the number of part-time male workers is set to increase by 20% by 2024 - nearly three times more than the projected growth in part-time female workers of 7%.
This growth is particularly significant for men in professional or management roles, where an increase of 25% is projected, marking a substantial change in the working patterns of men in highly paid, highly skilled roles.
Simon Allport, North West Senior Partner at EY, who himself chooses to work flexibly, said:
“It’s not hard to understand the reasons behind this trend. We need to recognise that the world of work is changing and that a mature, modern workforce is flexible. Quite simply, flexible working is a source of competitive advantage to employers. It helps companies to attract and retain talented individuals.”
Lesley Giles, deputy director at UKCES said:
“While part-time work is most common in low paid professions and is largely dominated by women, this report shows the first signs of that trend changing. The increase in men working flexible hours has been catalysed by the right to shared parental leave, but seems to be gaining traction. Coupled with other changes, like the growth in jobs in sectors traditionally dominated by women, this could represent a real change in the way people work and the way we understand gender roles in the labour market.”
Read the full press release on GOV.UK .
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McDonald’s staff offered move from zero-hours contracts to fixed hours 20 April 2016
McDonald’s is offering staff in its UK restaurants zero-hours contracts and the option of moving to fixed hours, in a movement towards a major development in the debate about employee rights.
HR Review reports:
The well-known fast food chain is one of the biggest users of the contracts in the country, with an estimated 80,000 employees on zero hour contracts.
Paul Pomroy, the head of McDonald’s UK, said the company was re-evaluating its employment policy after staff told him they were struggling to acquire loans, mortgages and mobile phone contracts because they are not guaranteed employment each week.
As a result, the company has started offering staff the option of moving to contracts guaranteeing a minimum of four hours a week, leading to 16 hours or 30 hours.
A trial of the new system has taken place in St Helens, Merseyside, which Pomroy said had been very successful, and McDonald’s is now looking to roll it out across the country.
About 80 percent of workers in the trial elected to stay on zero hours; of those who took up the fixed-hours option, three of five went for the maximum of 30 hours.
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