August 11, 2010
Government plans to introduce flexible working to all workers in the UK could “endanger” existing relationships between employees and employers, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has warned.
According to Andrew Cave, FSB Head of Policy, installing flexible working hours would be another instance of the state interfering with an already established “staff-employer dynamic”.
Plans by central government to formalise flexible working hours by compiling legislation could destroy the delicate work life balance easily agreed between small business owners and their employees, he maintained.
"It''s difficult to get across, particularly to central government, by introducing that you endanger the dynamic that works so well otherwise," remarked Mr Cave.
His comments come in the wake of recent research conducted by Credant Technologies showing that 39% of employees believed that their employers expected them to be reachable even during their annual holidays.
The report also found that 95% of employees took their mobile phones on vacations abroad because they expected their office to be in touch.
In May, the coalition government announced plans to introduce flexible working for all employees.
Under current legislation, parents with children up to the age of 16, or parents with disabled children up to 18, can request flexible working patterns as long as they have at least 26 weeks of service, while the same is true for some carers looking after disabled adults.
The coalition’s plans have received mixed reviews and Mr Cave is the latest in a long line of critics to challenge the larger-scale plan.
"Given that businesses and government are working closely together on non-legislative solutions, the key is to avoid compulsory, tick-box exercises that add new costs and bureaucracy for businesses," David Frost, Director General of the British Chamber of Commerce, said in May.
Further discussions on flexible working are to be held later this year.
