Reforming timetables for the benefit of everyone
Government advisory body report recommends changing everyday timetables to achieve a more flexible and compact working day by reducing lunchtimes
It might be time for Generalitat civil servants to adjust their biological clocks to have lunch at one. That is the time proposed by a report on changing schedules produced by the government advisory body, the Consell de Treball Econòmic i Social. The report commissioned by the government to look into reforming timetables includes 41 recommendations and is based on two assumptions: that reform of working timetables needs to be government-led, and that any changes adopted should be carried out within the framework of a national cross-party agreement that includes all of the major players that would be affected by such a profound change in daily schedules.
When the report was presented recently, Consell member Esther Sànchez stressed that “the key is to see timetable reform as a whole from a systematic point of view,” as it would affect all of society. Sànchez spoke of the need to reflect on school timetables from a “pedagogical” point of view, while finding the “balance” between demand and supply in services and commerce requires consideration of the “productivity” of employees and, finally, that leisure hours need to be examined, bearing in mind that free time is what is usually left at the end of the day.
The report says there is no difference between Catalonia and the rest of Europe in terms of when the average day starts, but that the main difference is at the end of the day. This is accounted for by the two-hour lunchtime in Catalonia, compared with one hour elsewhere, with the result that the day finishes later.
Domino effect
This causes a domino effect, pushing activities late into the evening. It also has a negative effect when “squaring work and school timetables”. The absence of a parental figure at home in the afternoons is one reason for school failure, say experts. The imbalance in school and work timetables is also a reason for children being overloaded with activities after school. One element criticised by the report is television schedules. The study finds that “so-called prime time programmes, which can finish later than 12 o'clock at night on work days, are an obstacle to rationalisation of timetables.”
The debate on reforming timetables also takes into account the sociological context and the effects caused by an ageing population and a low birth rate. A society that increasingly needs to dedicate more time to care of elderly people is one forced to adapt: “The demographic challenge must be kept in mind,” said Sànchez. The report's solution foresees the gradual modification of behaviour after collective negotiation. The formula to do this proposed by the report is a flexible and compact working day. The report says this can be done by shortening lunchtimes. At the same time, it proposes a more rational organisation of work, such as meetings never taking place after 6pm, the fostering of telecommuting and a more widespread use of technology to give more flexibility.
A harmful system of organisation
Adapting to change can be difficult, but is less so if modifying habits and behaviour lead to improvements in health. In fact, public health that could benefit from reforming timetables, according to the Consell de Treball Econòmic i Social report. The advisory body finds that the current “way of managing working timetables is inefficient and results in negative consequences.” Among them is an increase in psychosocial risks for the population, while the report also stresses that “working a lot of hours under an inefficient organisation or a culture requiring one's physical presence brings with it a clear loss of productivity.” Poor time management also causes a deterioration in the working atmosphere, leading to absenteeism and undermining employee commitment to the company, which has the knock-on effect of making it harder for firm to hold onto talent.