ASSIGNMENT | Explain all the flexi time arrangements -Meaning advantages and disadvantages to employer and employee but conclude with who benefits more

‘Working time arrangements have been transformed to benefit all parties in the employment relationship’.  To what extent do you agree with this statement?

Introduction :

Concept of working time and its significance

• definition + little history

• Traditional Regulation of Working time:  Trade unions and collective bargaining efforts

• Working time and employment relations

There have been key struggles over the length of the working day and its regulation

In the UK there has been little regulation of working time arrangements – traditionally either via collective bargaining or the management prerogative

Critically examine the changes in working time patterns and trends over recent years

Working time: patterns and trends:

emphasise that there have been concerns for a number of years about excessive working hours and workplace pressures

EU Working Time Directive was introduced in the UK in 1998 with a limit on a 48 hour working week and 4 weeks paid annual leave

Yet there remains a Long hours culture for managers and professionals,

also workers in transport and manufacturing with the pay premium for overtime.

Causes of the long hours culture – rising competitive pressures and the need to do ‘more with less’

Critically assess the development of ‘flexible’ working time and work-life balance

There has also been a shift away from the ‘standard’ working week – Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm

Rising flexible working, especially part-time jobs – often gendered

Economic changes – growing service sector e.g. hotels, retail and restaurants with part-time staff

Employers want to manage labour more efficiently e.g. evenings and weekends without pay premium. Response to changes in customer demand (Grimshaw and Rubery, 2010)

Growing array of ‘flexible’ working time arrangements – flexitime, part-time, compressed hours, annualised hours, term time only, job share, work from home.  But key questions of ‘flexibility’ for who and on whose terms? (Smith, 2016)

Explain all the flexi time arrangements -Meaning advantages and disadvantages to employer and employee but conclude with who benefits more

In the flexitime arrangements emphasise on Zero hour contracts (Also refer to the current COVID 19 scenario)

https://www.cipd.co.uk/Images/zero-hours-and-short-hours-contracts-in-the-uk_2015-employer-employee-perspectives_tcm18-10713.pdf

https://www.unison.org.uk/content/uploads/2016/02/Zero-Hours-Factsheet.pdf

https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—ed_protect/—protrav/—travail/documents/publication/wcms_624965.pdf

https://www.cipd.co.uk/Images/7880-zerohours-contracts-guide-web_tcm18-10706.pdf

https://theconversation.com/zero-hours-contracts-have-a-devastating-impact-on-career-progression-labour-is-right-to-ban-them-123066

Bar Worker Wins Zero Hours Contract Case

or

https://www.thompsons-scotland.co.uk/blog/29-employment-law/2885-zero-hours-lawyers

Also write about how all this affects wlb

Discuss the issue of Issues of long hours and work intensification

http://theconversation.com/zero-hour-contracts-take-a-huge-mental-and-physical-toll-poor-eating-habits-lack-of-sleep-and-relationship-problems-119703

Assess the legal regulation of working time arrangements

Excellent answers will state that UK legislation gives workers the ‘right to request’, but based on business benefits which may not necessarily benefit workers

Write about EU Working Time Regulations and the related EU Directive

https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—ed_protect/—protrav/—travail/documents/publication/wcms_706159.pdf

https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/fr/publications/article/2005/new-law-on-maximum-working-time-and-working-time-arrangements