More
than 80 per cent of adults employed in regular work would choose more flexible
hours if the option was open to them, according to research.
The
poll commissioned by HR consultancy firm Aon Consulting, found:
–
More than half (56 per cent) said they favoured working extra hours from Monday
to Thursday to take a half day on a Friday. This option was more popular in
Scotland, with more than two in three people (67 per cent) favouring the
possibility of a longer weekend break
–
More than four in 10 adults (42 per cent) said they would prefer to work at
home one day a week. People in the South East and Scotland scored higher than
the national average in this category, at 45 per cent and 47 per cent
respectively
–
Respondents in Scotland (43 per cent) and Wales and the South West (40 per
cent) favoured an 8am start, working straight through to 3pm with no break for
lunch. This was above the national average score of 37 per cent for this option
–
Less than one in five people (18 per cent) said that they would prefer to stick
with their regular option of working nine-to-five, five days a week.
Commenting
on the issue, Lisa Page, senior consultant and actuary at Aon Consulting, said:
"The most consistent message from our research is that people want the
flexibility to plan their work around their personal lives. The Government’s
work-life balance initiative goes some way towards addressing this.
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 "However, as life expectancy increases
and the make-up of the population changes, employer attitudes to working life will
also need to adapt," she added. "Employers who address this emerging
trend will be more able to sustain a high-quality workforce going
forward."
