31% of people want an email free day

So you want to be boss for the day?

Research by ICLP, a loyalty marketing agency, has found that 59% of both employers and employees would like to choose the age that they retire rather than being dictated to by government legislation and 31% of people wanted an email free day.

Of the 59%, over three quarters said that they would like to retire after the legal age of retirement, whilst only 19% said that they would like to take early retirement, even if it meant a heavily reduced pension.

As Stuart Evans, general manager of ICLP says: "Most people questioned believe they will have to work longer because they will live longer. They also believe their general well-being will allow them to do so."

Over 1,000 employees were questioned about their attitude to work and how they would change their terms of employment if they were the boss. Some of the most common responses were as follows: Getting rid of those who did not pull their weight (21%), medical screenings for everyone over 50, every two years (19%), flexitime (63%), six months paid holiday for every ten years working at a company (29%), an email free day (31%), free transport to work (53%), extra holiday if no sickness leave taken during the year (59%) and days off for kids sports day (18%). 12% of people would like to do a job share. However, more money was the overriding consideration, although 85% knew that this was not feasible or, at least, unlikely.

Stuart Evans says: "The new employment currency is flexibility. People want jobs that can fit around their chosen lifestyle. Employers who recognise this will prosper."

49% of those questioned believed that they could do a better job than their bosses, but only 27% actually wanted the bosses job; citing long hours and stress as the two main reasons not to proceed to the upper levels.

Employers and employees were also asked what they wanted from each other.

In order of importance, employees said that they would like to be given enough time to do the job completely; be supported by their bosses; be given additional responsibility; prefer not to stay late; for their talent to be rewarded; and for instructions to be clear and concise.

Employees were found to be more loyal to their company if they felt that at least three of the above scored at least a six out of ten. Those employees with high scores for five of the above attributes were likely to be with the same company for three times longer than someone who scored on only two of the attributes. Evans says: "Companies could easily increase employee loyalty if they just listened to what they wanted and spent a bit more time putting a plan of action into addressing these requirements."

Employers wanted their employees to be on time, be responsible, be fast, yet most importantly to be contented at their place of work. Evans says: "The good news is that most employers recognise that a happy workforce is a productive one."

37% of employees said that they were happy at their place of work, with a further 21% saying that they were not unhappy. Only a quarter were very unhappy and were actively seeking to change; however, of this 25% the overwhelming majority believed that they wouldn’t change jobs. Evans says: "Here lies the crux of the matter. People who felt that they were trapped in a job were less likely to enjoy it regardless of other rewards."