UK Printing Companies' Increasing Use Of Shifts

There has been a significant increase in the use of shifts by printing companies, according to the British Printing Industries Federation (BPIF).

There has been a significant increase in the use of shifts by printing companies, according to the British Printing Industries Federation (BPIF).

More than 50 per cent of firms now operate shifts, an increase of 10 per cent on previously available statistics, according to the BPIF's manpower survey report 2006.

The report, which has just been published, which was supported by Mercury Search and Selection, reveals that flexible working patterns are fast becoming the norm in the UK printing industry.

Less than 40 per cent of production employees now work standard days, whilst the proportion of companies offering each of the double day, night, treble, three x 12 or continental and 'other' shifts has increased.

The double day shift is the most popular with over 40 per cent of firms operating it.

The BPIF's information services manager, Kyle Jardine, commented: "It is clear that companies have been looking closely at wage costs.

Whilst basic wages generally increase in accordance with the national agreement, companies have introduced flexible working patterns which enable them to exert more control on overtime and their wage bill.

The manpower survey provides detailed hours, earnings and shift information for almost 40 different production occupations.

The BPIF's salary survey report 2006, also supported by Mercury Search and Selection, provides detailed salary and benefits information for over 30 managerial and non-production occupations.

Dani Novick, Mercury's managing director, commented: "The importance of having an authoritative benchmark for pay levels for both hourly paid and salaried staff cannot be overstated.

In most cases salary levels have developed over many years and can be radically out of step, both high and low, with the current market.

Inappropriate pay levels are a problem for everyone.

When they are too low employers will fail to attract the best talent, if they are too high the company may not survive the competitive market.

Kyle Jardine remarked further: "It is difficult to collect this information from companies yet wage and salary data is consistently amongst the most common requests we get.

One participant, Roger Ling, the managing director at The Birches Printers, commented: "The value of these reports is immense.

They provide us with vital information on wage and salary levels, which we use in making decisions within the company.

This year we are particularly grateful that the salary survey has introduced an analysis of smaller companies with turnovers below and above GBP2 million.

This is terrific and confirms a long held suspicion that there are significant differences in these two categories.

In my mind the value of the report has gone up considerably.

BPIF members must be brain dead if they do not participate and get the information free.

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