Two-thirds of UK employers are changing work patterns in order to save jobs in an unprecedented outbreak of co-operation between managers and staff, according to a survey by an employers organisation.
More flexible working hours, extended shutdowns, extra holiday and cuts in paid overtime have become more common, according to the UK-wide survey of 700 largely private sector employers with 3m staff conducted by the CBI business group and Harvey Nash, a recruitment consultancy.
John Cridland, CBI deputy director-general, said unemployment – currently 2.26m – would be “even worse” without these innovative measures. The CBI has trimmed its forecast for peak unemployment from 3.3m to 3m by next spring.