MORE than half of workers in the north want to move away from the traditional 9 to 5 hours, according to a new survey.
A study from McDonald's has revealed that more than half of people (59 per cent) in full-time employment in Northern Ireland would like to start earlier than 9am and finish earlier than 5pm. A start time of 8am and finishing at 4pm was the most option, chosen by 34 per cent local respondents, while just under half of those surveyed (44 per cent) said they would prefer to work a longer day in return for a shorter working week. Almost three quarters of Northern Ireland adults (71 per cent) stated a wish for flexibility in the work, through the likes of job sharing or compressed hours. A total of eight in 10 said they would like to work flexibly in the future, while 73 per cent said it encourages them to stay in a job for longer. In spite of the apparent desire amongst local workers for greater flexibility in the workplace, over a quarter (28 per cent) said they don't believe their employer would agree to it.
The survey, which included 4,000 UK adults, 500 of which were from the north and 1,000 McDonald’s employees, further revealed that social workplaces, close proximity to home and pay are amongst the top priorities for those in employment.
CEO of McDonald's UK and Ireland, Paul Pomroy said the survey shows people do not wish to work the traditional 9 to 5 any more.
“People are looking for jobs that work for them. This research reflects our belief that to attract, retain and motivate, employers need to create opportunities that genuinely work for people whatever their age, life stage, or ambition. The business case is clear, as are the links to improved happiness and wellbeing – people simply don’t want to work 9-5 any more. They want to work more flexibly, but that doesn’t diminish ambition, desire or opportunity to progress."
McDonald’s currently operates over 1,270 restaurants across the UK, serving more than 3.7 million customers every day. In Northern Ireland McDonald’s has 29 restaurants all of which are owned and operated by six franchisees employing 2,300 staff.
