Marks and Spencers are letting their full-time staff across the UK to work only four-days a week so they can improve their work/life balance.
The retailer’s new ‘Worklife’ programme is aiming to provide more choice and flexibility for staff, reports The Manc.
After notably introducing optional pronoun badges for staff to help “build an inclusive future” last year, and following the well-praised decision to raise its minimum wage to £10 an hour during the cost of living crisis earlier this year, the retailer has announced its next employee perk in the form of a new flexible working offering.
M&S said the changes are designed to help staff achieve a better work/life balance, and says it also hopes it will help it to continue to “attract the best talent in the industry.”
This means that, from January 2023, over 3,000 of M&S’s Retail Managers across the UK will have additional flexible working options available to choose from, so as well as opting for either full-time or part-time hours, they can also choose whether to spread their hours over five days, or to work a four-day compressed work week, or even a nine day compressed fortnight.
Image: M&S
Part-time managers will also be able to access their own pro-rated version of the compressed ways of working on offer, M&S said.
M&S’s decision to introduce flexible working options follows what the retailer says was a successful trial across 100 stores – with 75% of the Retail Managers participating agreeing that compressed hours had had “a positive impact on their family life”.
73% said it also gave them more time to focus on and prioritise themselves.
“We want M&S to be a great place to work and shop, that means having engaged colleagues with a good work-life balance,” explains Sarah Findlater – Group HR Director at M&S.
“Retail is a fast-paced industry, but that shouldn’t mean missing out on the moments that matter.
“Whether caring commitments, the chance to get involved in your local community, or to prioritise your own mental and physical wellbeing, we’ve listened to colleagues and are determined to create a cultural shift to flexible working across our stores.”
Ms Findlater also added that the Retail Managers that took part in the compressed hours trial agreed that it’s been a “gamechanger” for them by giving them “more choice and autonomy”.
“We are determined to keep exploring ideas that transform the way we work at M&S,” she added.
Leeds City Council is asking people for their views about transport options and public space in the city centre.
Got some thoughts and feelings about how you'd like Leeds city centre to operate? Well now's your time to speak up.
Because people are being invited to give their feedback on current issues and improvements they would like to see around St. Peter’s Street, York Street, Eastgate, Duke Street, Kirkgate, Crown Point Road, Marsh Lane and East Street.
This area of Leeds is vital for those travelling in and out of the city, with many integral and busy bus routes passing through here.
The area is also home to leisure, cultural and educational facilities, as well as Leeds bus station, and has a large and growing residential population, making it a key area for people using the bus, walking, cycling, and travelling by car.
Between 2014 and 2024, there were 260 road related casualties in the area, including 32 serious casualties and three fatalities.
The council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority will use feedback to develop plans for safer ways of travelling for everyone and more welcoming public spaces.
Councillor Tom Hinchcliffe, Leeds City Council’s executive member for transport and planning, said: “This is an important step towards a transport system that prioritises efficient public transport and supports all forms of travelling, making it easier and safer for people to get around the city.
“Public spaces are there to be used and enjoyed by everyone, and it's important that we make these spaces welcoming, accessible and well connected.
"We urge everyone that travels through this area — whether you walk, cycle, drive, or take the bus - to take part in the consultation and share your views. By sharing your experience of travelling in the area, we’ll be able to make the right improvements to make it a safer, more welcoming space for everyone.”
Have your say before Tuesday 17 November by filling in a short survey, or attending a drop-in event. You can view the drop-in events here.
Leeds City Council confirms plans to repair historic Lower Kirkgate with work set to begin this month
Clementine Hall
Leeds City Council has confirmed that work to stabilise buildings on Lower Kirkgate is set to begin later this month, with repairs expected to take around 20 weeks to complete.
Back in 2024, Lower Kirkgate in Leeds city centre was closed following the partial collapse of a building, leaving one of the city's oldest streets inaccessible.
Since then, the street has remained closed while plans were developed to address the structural issues affecting the buildings.
Now, almost two years after the initial incident, the council has confirmed that a contractor has been appointed to carry out the work.
The buildings are privately owned, but Leeds City Council says it will step in to carry out the stabilisation work to prevent further deterioration and protect the historic properties.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
A spokesperson for Leeds City Council said: “We are pleased that, following months of careful planning and preparation, we are now in a position to begin stabilising these privately owned buildings.
“A contract has been awarded for the work, which is scheduled to get under way later this month and is expected to take around 20 weeks to complete.
“It should be stressed that the situation on Lower Kirkgate is not of the council's making, with the owners of the buildings allowing their condition to deteriorate over many years and then failing to take the necessary steps to address the resultant structural issues.
“By stepping in and carrying out this work itself, the council will be able to arrest the deterioration of important heritage assets on one of Leeds’s oldest streets. As always, we thank the local community for their continued patience and support.”
Further details about the work, including when the street may be able to reopen, have not yet been confirmed.
The Hoot -
4th November 2022 
