Whatever next? According to a survey by Adecco General Staffing, 60% of people would work without pay for a short time to save their workmates' jobs.
Those over 55 years old were most likely to agree while 18-34 year olds were least likely. Men, the poll found, were 5% more likely to say they would work without pay than women. Just one in five workers refused to consider a few days' free work.
Steven Kirkpatrick, managing director of Adecco General Staffing, said: "The survey shows chivalry in the workplace is alive and well. It also tells us how realistic people are being about the pressures their employers are under to reduce costs and survive".
This all sounds a bit unlikely. From where I'm standing (grumpy middle age) it sounds like one of those surveys where participants know which answer to pick to make themselves sound benevolent. And it's all well and good until you think about the logistics - how would doing someone else's work save their job? And should we be encouraging people to be doing work that they aren't necessarily trained for? And how long is 'a short time'? Ten minutes? A month?
Bah humbug.
