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Flexible working hours

ARGUMENTS FOR:

Flexi-time helps people to balance the demands of their work, leisure and private commitments.

By staggering travelling times, flexible working lowers peak-time demand and reduces overcrowding.

Parents of small children already enjoy the benefit of flexi-working. Ninety per cent of those who have applied have been granted a change in hours.

Allowing workers to choose their hours helps them to make other contributions to the community, such as voluntary work or serving on local councils.
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ARGUMENTS AGAINST:

Many organisations and companies - schools, restaurants, newsagents, transport - are tied to certain hours and demands beyond their control.

Workers who opt for flexible hours are always vulnerable to the 'sloping off' charge, however unfair. Allowing people to choose when they worked would undermine trust between bosses and staff.

In every organisation some would be granted the hours they wanted, and some would not. This might create staff jealousy and be bad for morale.

FIRST POSTED FEBRUARY 12, 2007

News & Comment: News & Politics