New research released today by McDonald’s UK, reveals nearly half of Liverpudlian adults (44%) want to move away from the traditional 9-5 working patterns, and into jobs that prioritise flexibility and enable them to prioritise commitments outside of work.
As one of the largest employers in the UK with a multigenerational workforce of more than 120,000 people, McDonald’s has worked together with YouGov to conduct a major study to better understand working lives in the UK today and how this will shift in the future.
Shifting working patterns
Jobs that offer earlier starts and a shorter working week are most appealing to job seekers; with only 7% of Liverpudlians working the traditional ‘9-5’
- 54% of people in full-time employment would like to start earlier than 9am and finish earlier than 5pm
- Starting at 8am and finishing by 4pm was the most popular option chosen by 37% of respondents
- If given the option, 42% of full-time workers in Liverpool would prefer to work a longer day in return for a shorter working week
Social workplaces, proximity to home and pay top priorities
People want to work closer to home with jobs that allow them to juggle commitments outside work:
- A sociable workplace is one of the key criteria for ‘good jobs’ among nearly two-thirds of all adults (62%), closely followed by flexibility to work the hours and patterns that suit (58%) and a convenient location (54%)
- Flexibility is an everyday part of working life, with 33% of people working flexibly in one form or another, such as job sharing or compressed hours
- Flexibility is important to people of all ages and life stages, with 80% of parents and 30% of students stating that flexible working allows them to juggle work with family commitments and studying
- Over 4 in 10 people (44%) would like to work more flexibly in the future 80% saying it would encourage them to stay in a job for longer
- However, barriers remain as 19% don’t believe their employer would let them work flexibly
The findings in Liverpool show that working in a social workplace topped their priorities (58%), closely followed by the flexibility to work hours that suit them (52%). The ability to develop new skills, such as team work and communications skills, was also a key factor for over half (51%).
McDonald’s franchisee Mark Blundell currently employs 1,000 people across Liverpool. He commented: “Quite simply, people are looking for jobs that work for them. This research reflects McDonald’s belief that to attract, retain and motivate, employers need to create opportunities that genuinely work for people whatever their age, life stage, or ambition.
“I am proud that at McDonald’s in Liverpool we create jobs which suit different lifestyles and life stages, whether its parents looking to fit a job around family commitments, a student looking to earn some extra money at the weekend or someone looking to progress and take advantage of the training that’s on offer.
