THE idea that Jersey could introduce a four-day working week is ‘fantasy’ because of the staff shortages and population pressures, according to a business leader.
Earlier this month it was announced that 3,000 workers across 60 companies in the UK would be taking part in a trial between June and December during which they would work one fewer each week for the same pay.
Backers of the four-day week believe it can boost employee productivity and improve people’s work-life balance.
But business commentator Kevin Keen said that introducing such a measure in Jersey would probably require more people to move to the Island to bolster the labour force, which would then create further population pressures.
‘The idea of a four-day working week in Jersey is fantasy, especially as some want to reduce our population. There are already some big staff shortages in some sectors,’ he said.
He added that the Island’s ageing population could, in fact, result in people having to stay in work longer in the future.
‘For a number of reasons, I expect that people will have to work longer, i.e. beyond 65, to finance longer lives and, of course, many will find they do not have sufficient money saved for a pension.
‘With the current housing crisis, which is driving away young working people, it could be even worse. It’s time for a grown-up conversation about population, but I doubt we will get that at election time. It will just be more empty promises that will be broken later as they have been in the past, because they are impossible to deliver on,’ Mr Keen said.
Other commentators agreed that there was limited appetite for a four-day week in Jersey, but said that offering flexible working arrangements was fast becoming standard practice.
Recruitment consultant Shelley Kendrick, who specialises in financial services and IT appointments, said that owing to the short supply of workers, employers were offering much more flexibility in their packages to recruit and retain staff.
‘Employees increasingly want things like hybrid working or compressed hours so they can have that work-life balance, don’t have to commute or can pick up the kids when they need to,’ she said.
‘In the current climate, if they can’t get that at an organisation, then they can head down the road and get it elsewhere.’
Simon Soar, head of hospitality and tourism at Jersey Business, said that the trend was also being seen in the Island’s bars, restaurants and hotels.
‘What we are seeing with hospitality businesses is that they want to improve the working arrangements so they can retain staff,’ he said. ‘This includes increased flexibility for staff around working hours.’
Economic Development Minister Lyndon Farnham said that he felt technology, which enabled remote working, meant the trend towards flexible employment was here to stay.
He said: ‘While we do not have definite statistics on changes in the workforce, it’s clear that there’s more flexibility being offered by employers following the pandemic and the increased use of technology. I would expect this trend to continue as the economy rebuilds.’
