The traditional working day is set to become obsolete in the next four
years, according to a new report.
True flexibility at work – attitudes towards the 24/7 culture, commissioned
by Ashridge Business School, finds that working hours will increasingly become
more flexible and more people will work from home.
The report investigated the attitudes of 250 senior managers across the UK.
Half believe the traditional Monday to Friday, nine-to-five working week will
be obsolete by 2006.
Seventy-five per cent of those surveyed believe flexible working will be
essential in retaining highly skilled people.
Half the respondents said they have turned down, or not applied for a job
because of its lack of flexibility, while 40 per cent reveal they would work
for less money in return for flexibility.
The report finds that employees are increasingly demanding the option of
home-working aided by laptops, videoconferencing, e-mail and mobile phones.
It claims the main push for a change in culture comes from female staff
looking for ways to successfully balance work and home lives
"It is clear that individuals want to ‘personalise’ their approach to
work, and new and developing forms of communication allow them to do so,"
states the report.
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
"Flexible working performs best when there is a mutual understanding
between employee and employer that the job needs to be done within an agreed
time span."
