2024-06-24 12:21:15
Has the time come for employers and unions to rethink working hours because of local weather change and the way shut we’re to the Bulgarian siesta, we requested the principle professional “Social Dialogue” on the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce, Jasmina Sarivanova.
For a few years, consideration has been paid to the connection between labor and climatic options within the completely different seasons. In the summertime, there are all the time suggestions which might be given to each employers and staff. The occupational drugs companies are additionally amongst those that ought to give suggestions for monitoring and complying with the climate forecast and for revising work schedules in an effort to keep away from work within the hottest hours of the day, Sarivanova stated in an interview for BTA. On this sense, the subject of local weather change and new working hours just isn’t new, the professional stated, however famous that with the sharp adjustments in Bulgaria’s local weather, new concepts and threat assessments shall be wanted to be taken under consideration.
Present alternatives to alter working hours
At the moment, there are a number of attainable parameters for altering working hours because of local weather change. Every little thing is tailor-made to the particular work of the enterprise, to the department, to the sector, as to if there may be work outside, the professional identified and outlined the principle potentialities: monitoring and complying with the climate forecast and most every day air temperatures, the likelihood of thunderstorms, revision of the schedules for work and avoiding work between 13.00 and 16.00 hours. One other authorized risk is to begin the working day earlier – at 6:00 a.m. and end it earlier. Work interruptions in the course of the warmth are additionally attainable – from two to 4 hours relying on the skin temperatures and the office and if a storm is forecast. Sarivanova added that one other risk is to proceed the working order after the temperature drops – for instance, till 7:00 p.m., topic to specific observance of working hours. Relating to work in industrial and development websites or employment within the discipline of sustaining cleanliness, in sizzling climate it may be completed within the shaded areas. Adjustments within the group of labor on the development websites are additionally attainable, once more bearing in mind the time schedules. The main focus is especially on these working outside, as a result of an increasing number of workplaces are air-conditioned, commented the professional.
When will the siesta come to us too?
Siestas are one thing conventional for southern nations, particularly for Spain, the professional reminded. She added that that is additionally tied to ethnic traits. Individuals there are used to working on this manner, within the northern nations they’re used to a unique regime, Bulgaria additionally has its specifics, commented Jasmina Sarivanova. In accordance with the professional, in our nation it’s attainable to have an extended lunch break at sure websites and for some sectors, which ought to be tailor-made to keep away from the dangers of the warmth as a lot as attainable. Relating to the financial parameters, Sarivanova believes that with a great group of working hours, there ought to be no financial losses for the employer. In accordance with the professional, it’s no longer acceptable to speak a few common introduction of the siesta in Bulgaria, as a result of, for instance, there is no such thing as a such want for workplace staff, and it’ll not be good for staff in view of their private lives both. Subsequently, based on Sarivanova, it’s essential to assess the place and how one can strategy the introduction of any such relaxation within the warmth. We have to suppose extra about these working outside, how their working hours shall be organized, Sarivanova added.
Rising power prices additionally can’t turn into a common cause for altering working hours within the warmth and within the chilly, as a result of, based on the professional, this occurs on the discretion of the employer, based on his exercise. She gave an instance of an organization with contractors from nations in different time zones and identified that such an employer would discover it extra worthwhile to pay the electrical energy prices for the air conditioners and supply water than to cease work throughout essentially the most energetic hours for the corporate. in the event that they for instance coincide with the heats. For that reason, the professional is adamant that there can’t be a common formulation for brand spanking new working hours, and it could even be detrimental to each employers and staff. Further adjustments will not be mandatory at the moment in each the Labor Code and the Act on Protected Working Situations, the Ordinance on Working Hours, Rests and Holidays. In the mean time, the association is nice, the professional stated.
Local weather change and telecommuting
In the mean time, employers haven’t made calculations whether or not will probably be extra worthwhile for them to let staff work from their houses, or to pay the excessive payments in the course of the warmth and chilly, commented the professional. On this sense, it’s extra in regards to the selection of every enterprise whether or not its workers will work remotely or not, Sarivanova stated and repeated that the main target in local weather change ought to be on working outside, as a result of that’s the place essentially the most the large dangers. The professional identified that the present good regulatory framework also needs to be virtually utilized by the employees themselves, by clearly explaining to them what the dangers are if they don’t observe the prescribed precautions and to remember that their survival typically is dependent upon this. It is rather necessary to coach staff on what to do if a thunderstorm begins, particularly after such pure phenomena have turn into extra widespread in our nation, Sarivanova identified and added that this additionally applies to the transport sector.
In accordance with her, the management within the nation of compliance with the measures by the Labor Inspectorate is common, and as well as, the employees themselves are more and more signaling if there are violations. One other catalyst for compliance with the norms for working in warmth and chilly is the scarcity of personnel in our nation. Employers are already doing every part attainable to maintain their workers, and that is associated to offering varied advantages and usually creating good working circumstances, the professional believes.
From Henry Ford to the lengthy lunch break
The transition to an 8-hour working day came about at a barely later stage within the growth of humanity, and that is additionally because of Henry Ford, who launched this working day in his factories, as a result of he thought of that this was essentially the most optimum ratio for staff between work, recreation and private life, the professional reminded. My private opinion is that it nonetheless applies to at the present time, Sarivanova stated, stating, nonetheless, that the brand new generations coming into the labor market will go away their mark on the view of the size of the working day. But, most likely, every part shall be reworked, digitization can be of nice significance for the longer term processes in working life, and we will definitely transfer in direction of higher flexibility and a few non-standard concepts that at present don’t even happen to us, commented the professional.
The four-day work week
Sarivanova reminded that even now there is no such thing as a downside to scale back the working week to 4 days. Nevertheless, the query is expounded to the insurance coverage system, as a result of we can’t say that 4 days could have the identical contribution as 5 when it comes to productiveness. Such a change would additionally have an effect on the pension system, as this might replicate on the pension contributions of these working a four-day work week, the professional believes. For that reason, if such a dialog begins, there have to be a consultant participation of all events within the labor course of, and an evaluation of the advantages and harms of such a transition to a shorter working week can be wanted.