Further signs of an eventual economic upturnhave been revealed, after a survey of employers found they expected staff hours to increase this year as more orders came in, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).
A poll of 400 employers by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) found 27.5% of employers anticipated a jump in working hours over the next six months. Around half the respondents said working hours would stay the same, while barely one in five said time worked by staff would decrease.
Mike Emmott, employee relations adviser at the CIPD, said many employers were expecting greater demand for products and services.
“There are some positive signs in this figure,” he told Personnel Today. “Many employers will be expecting more orders while big companies like Tesco and McDonalds are expanding.”
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David Frost, director general of the BCC, added: “The figure is certainly a good sign that employers in certain sectors are getting more orders and that is what is needed for an eventual upturn.”
The UKhas succeeded in keepingits opt-out of the Working Time Directive, so that employees can work more than 40 hours per week if they choose to.
