With the government considering allowing workers to spend longer in the office for four days, how would Kent fare economically and politically?
Oliver Leader De Saxe reports...
Oliver Leader De Saxe reports...
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00:00Would you want to do a whole week's work in four days in exchange for a longer weekend?
00:06Under current rules, workers can request flexible working, but employers don't have to agree.
00:13But a new law may force businesses to offer flexible working from day one,
00:19except where not reasonably feasible.
00:22While the government says they're not imposing a four-day working week on anyone,
00:27new plans would give workers the option of doing the same hours in fewer days.
00:32And for some businesses who are already working shorter weeks,
00:36like Digital Reflect in Maidstone, they think the plans could be beneficial.
00:42Yes, initially it was a bit of a shock for some people that it was such long days,
00:46but actually it's made me a lot more productive, meaning that I'm just going to get my work done
00:53in those four days, and then the Friday it's off, it's your own time, you can spend it how you want.
01:00And for me, yeah, it's just been a real game changer.
01:03It'll be hard to ever go back to a five-day week.
01:07But speaking on the Kent Politics Show,
01:09Conservative councillor and small business owner Mark Joy
01:13told the programme he wasn't sold it would work.
01:17The legislation's already there for flexible working,
01:20where it suits both the employee and the employer.
01:24Giving 100% carte blanche to the employee is going to, again,
01:30with everything else that Keir Starmer is seeming to do to small businesses at the moment,
01:35it's just going to keep putting nails in that coffin.
01:38So are passers-by in Rochester as equally concerned about a compressed working week?
01:45I think it's a very good idea, yes,
01:48because I think it would be easier on people who don't want to do five days.
01:52I think if you work for a very big business, then they can afford to do it.
01:55I think if you work for a very small business, it might drive that business to the wall.
01:58I think it's ideal. I mean, I do four days sometimes, three days sometimes, six days.
02:05Yeah, I think it's beneficial.
02:08The hours are going to be too long.
02:10People don't want to spend 70 or whenever in work when they've got kids.
02:15They want to go home and see the kids.
02:17A spokesperson for the Department of Business and Trade
02:20says any changes to employment legislation will be consulted on
02:26to find the balance between improving workers' rights and supporting those who pay their wages.
02:32We won't have to wait long to find out the future of the long weekend,
02:36with further details expected within the next few months.
02:41But whether Kent is ready to clock in more hours to clock off a day early, it's hard to say.
02:48Oliver Leeds of the Saks reporting for KMTV.