IT needs to get family-friendly

UK workers are more likely to do long hours than anywhere else in the European Union, according to a 1998 report by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

This is as true for IT workers as it is for other professionals. But the long-hours culture has serious health implications. More than 5,000 people die prematurely in the UK each year because of long working hours.

It's time for employers and employees to understand the need to accommodate work and personal life to secure fulfilment. But the issue has still to make its mark on the corporate landscape.

Only five per cent of employers offer all four of the most common forms of family-friendly provision: additional maternity leave or pay above the legal minimum, paternity leave, childcare provisions, and flexible or non-standard working arrangements. Even in organisations with the best practices, it's not uncommon for employees to feel guilty about taking these up because of concern that they might appear less committed.

Public and private policies

There is a marked contrast between the public and private sectors on this issue. Nearly a quarter of all IT professionals work in the public sector: in central and local government, education, the NHS, public agencies and corporations such as Consignia.

The figures speak for themselves. Some 71% of public sector bodies have formal work/life balance policies in place. For the private sector the figure is only 22%, according to a recent survey by Human Resources/Accor Services.

Although there have been substantial redundancies affecting IT professionals this year, many employers are still reporting skills shortages. Research and consultancy organisations say this phenomenon will be with us for years.

Public sector organisations faced with recruitment and retention problems see the advantages of offering people things that they truly want. The NHS has introduced its 'Improving Working Lives' campaign. This started as an initiative for nurses, but has since been expanded into all areas of the NHS.

The business case can be clearly demonstrated. More than 75% of mothers working for public sector organisations return to work after taking maternity leave, compared with just 50% of those working for the private sector - evidence that work/life balance initiatives are not just good for employees but also for employers.

Women's work

But we need to do more. The UK IT sector's record in employment of women is disgraceful. Only a quarter of the IT sector workforce in the UK are women, compared with 39% in Europe as a whole, and 45% in the US.

While the image of IT is no doubt a significant part of the problem, the lack of work/life balance and family-friendly practices is a major contributing factor. Women represent 52% of the population and half the potential workforce. Any business that cuts itself off from such a large pool of talent cannot hope to maintain its competitiveness.

Companies such as ICL exemplify the confusion at the heart of this issue, stressing the importance of work/life balance in its working hours policy while pressuring employees to opt out of the 48 hours limit provided by UK and European legislation in their employment contracts. And ICL is not alone - merely the most blatant I have come across recently.

Now is the time for all IT professionals to do something about this. If you are not prepared to be part of the solution, you must remain part of the problem.

As for employers, let's see some good examples of work/life balance policies and practices - there must be some out there. Why not tell us what you are doing?

Peter Skyte is national secretary for MSF Information Technology Professionals Association www.msf-itpa.org.uk