“Don’t regulate flexible jobs out of existence,” BRC says

The British Retail Consortium has urged the Government to stay clear of regulating flexible jobs out of existence.

The call comes as the Government launches its consultation on Guaranteed Hours proposals under the Employment Rights Act, which could lead to issues around flexible working.

This would cause problems for workers and retail businesses alike as new polling shows that two-thirds of workers choose their jobs because of the flexibility they offer.

YouGov polling commissioned by the BRC found that 67% of part-time workers took their role because they needed flexibility around commitments such as study, childcare, caring responsibilities or other aspects of everyday life.

Among part-time workers with children under 18, this rose to 80%.

The Government consultation will cover key questions, such as how ‘low-hours’ contracts are defined, how working hours are measured over time, and how shifts can be changed.

These choices will determine the extent to which retailers continue to offer flexible hours that suit both businesses and workers, or whether they are forced to lock in hours that are only needed at peak times.

Commenting on the situation ahead of the review, Helen Dickinson, CEO at the BRC, said: “It’s vital that we don’t regulate flexible jobs out of existence. Flexible and part-time work is how millions of people make employment work for them – balancing shifts alongside study, childcare or caring responsibilities, and retail plays a vital role in providing those opportunities.

Adding: “For many workers, that flexibility isn’t a ‘nice to have’ – it’s what makes employment possible and allows them to take on extra hours when it suits them. Retailers need to offer those additional hours when demand is there, but they cannot guarantee them all year round.

“If reforms mean temporary peaks become permanent commitments for responsible businesses, they will offer fewer hours in the first place – reducing both opportunity and the flexibility that workers value and rely on,” she concluded.