Labour analysis of new ONS statistics has revealed that chief
executives and people in London are the most likely to work from
home, both before and during the Covid-19 pandemic, while younger
people and those in the North East are the least likely.
Labour is today setting out that, without legislation from
government, the country risks sliding further into a ‘two-tier
world of work’ – with certain people and parts of the country
benefiting from a move to flexible working, whilst young people,
key workers, and certain places risk losing out.
Labour has today called for legislation to be introduced to
enshrine workers’ rights to flexible and remote working.
The Employment Bill, first promised in 2019 to “protect and
enhance workers’ rights”, has been repeatedly promised by
ministers yet has failed to materialise.
The statistics show the younger you are, the less likely you are
to work from home; and people in London and the South East are
most likely to work from home while people working in the North
East are the least likely.
- 21.4 per cent of chief executives mainly work from home, with
69 per cent working from home during the pandemic.
- 10.5 per cent of workers in London and the South East mainly
work from home, compared to 6 per cent of workers in the North
East and 6.7 per cent in the East Midlands.
- 35 per cent of workers in London worked from home during the
pandemic, compared with 19.5 per cent of workers in the North
East.
- Only 4.1 per cent of 20-24 year olds and 6.5 per cent of
25-29 year olds mainly work from home, compared to 8.3 per cent
of those over 35, 9.4 per cent of those over 40, and 9.6 per cent
of those over 45.
Labour has also warned of a ‘one-sided flexibility’ for employers
unless legislation is introduced to update employment rights and
protections in line with the changing world of work.
, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for
Employment Rights and Protections, said:
“The pandemic has lifted the lid on our country’s two-tier world
of work. This risks becoming more entrenched without employment
law fit for the 21st century.
“It is totally wrong that CEOs and people living in London are
far more likely to be able to work flexibly than younger people,
key workers and those in the North and Midlands.
“Labour is clear that the cards should not be stacked against you
because of where you live, your occupation or your age.
“We desperately need legislation that keeps pace with our
changing world of work, with stronger rights for people to work
flexibly where possible. The Conservatives promised it - they've
got to deliver."
Ends
Notes to editors:
Homeworking in the UK
labour market - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)
made
comments about how homeworking should be ‘normalised’ which the
Government has not delivered on https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-says-in-the-interest-of-employers-and-employees-to-make-offer-of-flexible-working-standard
The Employment Bill, promised repeatedly and nowhere to be seen,
is supposed to:
- Make flexible working the default unless employers have good
reason not to.
- Protect and enhance workers’ rights as the UK leaves the EU,
making Britain the best place in the world to work.
- Promote fairness in the workplace, striking the right balance
between the flexibility that the economy needs and the security
that workers deserve.
- Strengthen workers’ ability to get redress for poor treatment
by creating a new, single enforcement body.
- Offer greater protections for workers by prioritising
fairness in the workplace, and introducing better support for
working families.
- Build on existing employment law with measures that protect
those in low-paid work and the gig economy. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/853886/Queen_s_Speech_December_2019_-_background_briefing_notes.pdf
There is an overlap between authorities with low levels of
homeworking and those with the fewest good jobs (as measured by
the IFOW Good Work Monitor https://www.ifow.org/resources/the-good-work-monitor
)
