Employers attempt to save jobs despite recession

Work patterns in the UK have been transformed by the recession, with employers using increasingly innovative methods to save as many jobs as possible.

According to a new poll by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and recruitment consultants Harvey Nash, almost two thirds of employers are putting into practice major changes to employee working habits in an effort to save jobs.

Extra holidays, cuts in paid overtime, more flexible working hours, and extended shutdowns are some of the practices being used by employers to reduce redundancies.

John Cridland, CBI deputy director-general, said unemployment figures – which already make grim reading – would be “even worse” if businesses had not taken action to reduce job losses.

Unemployment rose to 2.26 million in the first quarter of 2009, and the CBI expects this figure to peak at over 3 million in the next 12 months.

Three in ten businesses polled by the CBI said they have frozen recruitment across the whole firm, while 53% said it will take up to two years for recruitment levels to return to 2007 levels.

Cridland said: “This has been a particularly bruising recession, but one of its most positive and striking aspects has been the commitment of many businesses and their staff to work together to try to trim costs and save jobs.

“The UK’s flexible labour market has proved a huge asset during these testing times, and flexible working changes have enabled employers and staff to create leeway on working hours.”

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