DURHAM COUNTY COUNCIL SIGNS UP TO 'SMARTER WORKING'

THE REGION'S largest employer has become the latest organisation to sign up to an innovative campaign aimed at consigning the traditional nine-to-five working day to the dustbin.

Durham County Council is the second council in the region to pledge its support to the Work Wise North East 'smarter working' initiative which aims to make the region a cutting-edge location in which to work.

The council, which employs up to 19,000 people, has already pioneered a flexible working pilot and has been quick to identify the potential benefits that smarter working practices can bring to both employers and employees.

Its chief executive, Mark Lloyd said: "Work Wise North East is a fantastic campaign and we are really keen to support it. Our flexible working trials have been a huge success and we are planning to introduce a number of other smarter working practices to ensure that we have a happier, healthier and more productive work force which can help us to deliver even better services to the communities we serve.

"Many of our employees can already access a raft of flexible working measures including staggered start and finish times, reduced hours, teleworking and job-sharing. This creates the ideal working environment meeting the needs of many of our staff.  We are also looking at opportunities for employees to take career breaks to enhance their learning and development and hope to implement this later this year.
" As an employer, we have found that flexible working can reduce sickness absence, improve productivity, motivate staff, encourage staff loyalty and help staff to achieve a good work-life balance, so it's a win-win situation for both the council and its employees," he added.  
Sue McCarron, principal HR officer for Durham County Council said:  "Flexible working is so important to our staff, whether they are married with families, have other caring responsibilities or are single.
"It eases the pressures of modern living and offers them the increased peace of mind that being in better control of their time and daily commitments can bring.
"In return, flexible working enables the Council to improve its service delivery, which of course benefits the public."
Work Wise North East aims to consign nine-to-five, five-days-a-week working to the dustbin and promote smarter working practices so that 21st Century work places are inclusive to people from all backgrounds and abilities.

Phil Flaxton, Work Wise chief executive, said: "Signing up the region's largest employer is a real feather in the cap of the Work Wise North East campaign.

"We now have the two largest authorities committed to this campaign - Northumberland and Durham County Councils - and we hope other pro-active local authorities will follow their lead. The benefits brought about by flexible working are impossible for employers to overlook."

Work Wise North East has attracted wide-ranging support from leading organisations in the region. Strategic partners include One NorthEast, TUC, Government Office North East, North East Chamber of Commerce, Onyx Group, EEF Northern, Workplace Travel Planning Company, Dickinson Dees, RBLI and Equality North East.

ENDS

For information about Work Wise North East, please contact: Sheila Chapman, Sheila Chapman PR 07732 827 486 or scpr@btopenworld.com

Notes to editors:
Work Wise UK is organised by the IT Forum Foundation, a not-for-profit organization.

Further information about Work Wise UK can be found on the website www.workwiseuk.org/northeast