Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 25th April 2024 Issue no. 1111
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When I learned of the proposed changes to employment legislation, which will offer all employees the chance to work flexible hours, I shook my head in disbelief. Running a business is hard enough as it is and ensuring workplace continuity when employees are on holiday is tough at the best of times... attempting to cover for what may be longish-term, short-notice breaks is likely to induce a real headache and for some small businesses... well... it could actually break them. And what will happen to workplace camaraderie when several people want to be off at the same time?
I'm pleased that the Forum of Private Business is highlighting some of the potential pitfalls of this idea, (which I believe is actually another EU edict rather than Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg's baby - despite him being blamed for it in the press) in its plea to the Chancellor to do more to support small businesses in his upcoming Autumn Statement (see more below).
The Forum is making some good suggestions, such as stabilising fuel duty and capping business rates. I know the UK Government needs to find some money from somewhere, but escalating costs are preventing people from driving and is sending businesses to the wall - and if we're not working, we're not helping to top up the coffers, so where's the sense in that?
Other news in this issue covers World Toilet Day, which was on Monday, and highlights the differences some of us face when it comes to that most basic of human functions - going to the loo. On one hand the winner of the US equivalent of the UK's Loo of the Year has just been announced and my goodness does the facility look welcoming! On the other is the publication of a report that reveals the assaults faced by African women who don't have the luxury of a toilet and thus have to wander away from the safety of their homes to relieve themselves outside in the open. I know we're always moaning about ill-equipped or dirty washrooms in this country but we really don't know how lucky we are...
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Yours,
22nd November 2012