Smarter working campaign gets TUC support

Citation

(2006), "Smarter working campaign gets TUC support", Pigment & Resin Technology, Vol. 35 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/prt.2006.12935eab.008

Smarter working campaign gets TUC support

Smarter working campaign gets TUC support

Work Wise UK now has the backing of the TUC for its three-year initiative to encourage the widespread adoption of smarter working practices, such as flexible working, mobile working, remote working and working from home.

The TUC is supporting the campaign as it recognises the potential to change for the better the way we work in this country.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: “In an economy that is close to full employment, in many sectors workers are shifting their focus to quality of life issues. In practice this means gaining more flexibility over working time, eliminating excessive working hours and cutting down on commuting time.”

The TUC sees a huge scope for many workers to have more choice over their hours and working patterns through smarter working practices. Working smarter will increase efficiency and enable work to be completed more quickly, lessening the need for long hours.

Brendan Barber continued: “More than 10 million people regularly work overtime, although only half of them are rewarded with extra pay or time off in lieu.”

Apart from increased productivity, other benefits of smarter working include reduced transport congestion and pollution, improved health, assisting disadvantaged groups, and the harmonization of work and family commitments.

“Travel is an important element,” said Brendan Barber. “The working week figures do not take into account travel time, which in some areas of the country is very significant”.

“Simply reducing that element, or enabling the staggering of the rush hour, will have a fundamental impact on people's lives both in terms of time and stress.”

Work Wise UK will start with Work Wise Week, Wednesday 3 May to Tuesday 9 May, intentionally not the traditional working week. It will begin with a major summit at the QEII Conference Centre in London where 400 influential delegates from government, unions and business will debate how to deliver a smarter working Britain.

Phil Flaxton, chief executive of the IT Forum Foundation, a not-for-profit organization which is behind the campaign, said: “Having the support of the TUC is a significant step for Work Wise UK. It will be heavily involved in the development of the programme, and in the implementation over the three years of the campaign.”

Further information about Work Wise UK can be found on the web site: www.workwiseuk.org