The Prime Minister will be questioned live about employment issues on ITVís Granada Reports programme on Thursday and will be shown a film of how Doug Mackay, Managing Director of Collingwood Search and Selection Ltd in Northwich in Cheshire, combines a successful business with good flexible working practises.
Doug, who lives near Chester with his wife Claire and two young children, says his thriving recruitment business is proof that a work-life balance is possible. ëWhen I set up the company I wanted to ensure that flexible working was at the heart of what we do. It flies in the face of what most recruitment consultancies are doing but weíve proved that you can still give clients a great service and have a home life too,í explained Doug.
According to figures by the Health and Safety Executive cases of work-related stress are having a huge impact on businesses:
ïWork-related stress accounts for over a third of all new incidences of ill health.
ïEach case of stress-related ill health leads to an average of 30.9 working days lost per year.
ïA total of 12.8 million working days were lost to stress, depression and anxiety in 2004/5.
The results, says Doug, are higher levels of absence and staff turnover - all of which cost businesses dearly. ëFlexible working often means a more motivated, productive and diverse workforce which can only be beneficial to your company,í he said.
Tony Blair is likely to emphasize the Governmentís commitment to family-friendly practices and new legislation, under the Work and Families Act, comes into force in April. This will include:
ï Extending maternity and adoption pay from six to nine months.
ï Extending the right to request flexible working to carers of adults.
ï Giving employed fathers a new right to up to 26 weeks additional paternity leave, some of which could be paid if the mother then returns to work before using her full maternity leave allowance.
ï The introduction of measures to help employers manage the administration of leave and pay, and to plan ahead.
The programme will be broadcast on ITVís Granada Reports programme at 6pm on Thursday 29 March.
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North West Business a Good Example, PM will be Told
Tony Blair will see how a North West business is putting the work-life balance first when he appears on television this week.
