THE Welsh Government is launching a strategy to encourage more businesses to adopt a flexible policies such as home working.
It says the sudden switch to working from home prompted by the pandemic has shown the possibilities and it wants to encourage the retention of such benefits.
In the strategy published today the Welsh Government sets out its plans to work with businesses, trade unions and key stakeholders to help more employers to adopt a more agile and flexible approach within their workplace.
The government wants to see 30 per cent of the Welsh workforce working at or near to home in this Senedd term, which ends in 2026. The strategy sets out the economic, social, environmental and cultural benefits of remote working, and explains how the government plans to embed remote working for the long-term in the Welsh workplace.
It says that will help employees make a choice on the way they work, whether locally from a shared work space, from home, or a mixture of both.
Plans to develop an online platform that helps people find work spaces local to them is being explored, alongside best practice guidance that can be shared with businesses to help them make the move.
To help employees better understand their workforce and track trends for future development, data will be collected.
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Many organisations, such as Wrexham-based communications company Moneypenny, Caerphilly-based Disability Wales and Blaenau Gwent Council have already adopted a remote working approach with both employees and employers reaping the benefits.
Deputy minister for climate change, Lee Waters said: “One of the lessons we’ve learned from the pandemic is that many people don’t want to or need to be in a traditional workplace environment to carry out their work.
“Working remotely brings with it a multitude of benefits. As well as helping people escape the commute and develop a better work-life balance, working locally also plays a vital role in regenerating our town centres by bringing people into the heart of the community to work and shop, as well as reducing congestion and cutting carbon emissions.
“But we can’t deliver our ambition alone, everyone has a part to play and we will continue to spread the message to lock in the positive changes we’ve already made and address the negatives to support more businesses to make the move to flexible working.”
Economy minister, Vaughan Gething said: “As set out in our economic mission, the benefits of remote working for businesses and organisations able to adapt are clear - increased productivity and reduced sickness absence, more job opportunities for people based in rural and semi-rural communities, and access to a wider and more diverse workforce.
"Furthermore, our upcoming Strategic Vision for Retail will outline how the retail sector can take advantage of people having more opportunities to work closer to home.
“We will not mandate targets for employers or individuals - instead, we’re aiming to support employers and work with trade unions to showcase what best practice looks like. We believe these new ways of working should be introduced and be maintained in line with the fair work and social partnership principles this Welsh Government is fully committed to.”
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