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UK Workers Want More Flexible Working Hours

 

London – 17 August 2004 – Over 80% of adults employed in regular¹ work would choose more flexible hours if the option was open to them, according to latest research² commissioned by Aon Consulting, one of the leading pensions, benefits & human resources consultancy firms.

The research found that:

Over half (56%) of regular working week respondents said they favoured working extra hours from Monday to Thursday in order to take a half day on Friday. This option was more popular in Scotland, with over two in three people (67%) favouring the possibility of a longer weekend break.

More than four in ten adults (42%) surveyed (working in 9 – 5 jobs, or the equivalent) 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% and 47% respectively.

Regular working week respondents in Scotland (43%) and Wales & South West (40%) favoured an 8am start - working to 3pm with no break for lunch – above the national average score of 37% for this option.

Less than one in five people (18%) said that they would prefer to stick with their regular 9 to 5, five days a week option.

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."

Page added: "However, as life expectancy increases and the make-up of the population changes, employer attitudes to working life will also need to adapt. Employers who address this emerging trend will be able to better sustain a high quality workforce going forward."

Note to Editors:

1. ‘regular’ is termed as working from 9 to 5 or equivalent, five days a week.

2. Aon Consulting commissioned two all adult omnibus surveys from David Burton Associates. Each survey was conducted amongst 1000+ adults, selected at random within Great Britain. Of the 2000+ adults, 860 were full-time working adults (weighted base of 903). ICM Research interviewed this random selection of 903 full time workers in Great Britain, aged 18+ by telephone between 4 – 8 August 2004. Interviews were conducted across the country and the results have been weighted to the profile of all adults.


About Aon Consulting

Aon Consulting is a leading human capital consultancy, helping organisations of every size to attract and keep the employees they need. We advise on all aspects of employment, including health-related insurance and risk; employee compensation and pensions; human resource strategy planning; job design and change management; and staff assessment and legal issues.

Aon Consulting is a division of Aon, the UK’s largest insurance broker and provider of risk management services, a major force in reinsurance and the UK human capital consulting market.

Aon Consulting Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

 

Aon Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority in respect of insurance mediation activities only.

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