Red tape hinders flexible working in UK’s factories
CONSTANT tinkering with employment regulation is hindering flexible working practices in the UK’s factories, a leading industry body will argue today.
As the coalition launches the manufacturing stage of its Red Tape Challenge – which invites companies to nominate harmful regulations that should be scrapped – the EEF has called on the government to “avoid complex and prescriptive regulations that get in the way of increasingly productive relationships between employers and employees.”
“Flexibility is increasingly a two- way street in manufacturing,” said the EEF’s Steve Radley. “Manufacturers need to respond rapidly to changes in markets and customer needs. And more employees are looking for greater flexibility in how they work … but the constant churn of new regulation and the complexity of new laws are putting these positive relationships at risk.”