Brussels, 17/05/2006 (Agence Europe) - The highest proportion of companies and organisations offering flexible working time arrangements in Europe is in Latvia, Sweden, Finland and the United Kingdom, while Cyprus, Greece and Hungary have the fewest companies offering such arrangements. This is what comes out of a survey on working time published on 17 May and carried out by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living ad Working Conditions in Dublin. The results of the survey demonstrate the benefits of flexible working time arrangements which can help attract more people into employment and retain them, Jorma Karppinen, the Foundation's Director, told press.
The survey shows, in particular, that, in Europe, flexible working time arrangements exist in 48% of establishments with 10 or more employees; 7% allow the accumulation of credit or debit hours; and 12% offer at least some of their workers the opportunity to take full days off in compensation for accumulated hours. According to the survey, flexible working time arrangements lead to “a higher degree of job satisfaction” for 61% of managers and 73% of employees; contributes to a “better adaptation of working hours to the workload” for 54% of managers and 67% of employees; lower levels of absenteeism and fewer hours of paid overtime. Only a minority of managers report negative consequences, such as communication problems or increased costs. A press release says the survey was part of the Foundation's Your Work, Your Life campaign which, in particular, explores new working patterns and work-life balance. (Information: http://www.eurofound.eu.int )