The changing face of work

The workplace is slowly evolving to become more employee-friendly, says the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. More employers realise that happy workers mean more productivity, according to a new report.

"The costs and benefits of non-standard employment" is one of several recent reports to demonstrate the advantages of flexible working practices, including teleworking, hoteling and flexi-time.

Although a far cry from the "job for life" security of the '70s, today's employers are aiming to retain highly trained staff and recognise the added advantages of permanent contracts compared to the difficulties of motivating and training temporary staff continuously.

Researchers from Bristol Business School and the University of Warwick found that staff were more satisfied if their employers were more flexible about working patterns.

Professor Kate Purcell of Bristol Business School, one of the report's authors, noted: "The challenge for employers and policy-makers will be to ensure that these jobs supplement rather than replace 'real' jobs and that they provide employees with genuine flexibility rather than reinforcing dependence on families, communities and the state."

A United Nations study of employment around the world recently found that the UK is the hardest working country in Europe, yet overall has one of the lowest paid workforces - surpassed by only Spain, Greece and Portugal.

The TUC has been pushing to have the minimum wage level raised from £3.60 to £5.00, believing that the present level does too little to alleviate 'in-work poverty'.

Julie Crisp