Credit: The Job Tailors
On Wednesday evening, The Job Tailors invited the public to celebrate the international flexible working day, a day celebrating the benefits of flexible work, for the first time in Luxembourg.
Hosted at the newly opened second location of the Office co-working space on Boulevard Prince Henri in Luxembourg City, the highlight of the event was the panel discussion about the status quo of flexible work in Luxembourg.
The panel consisted of Tom Oswald (Luxembourg Ministry of Labour), Brian Ballantyne (inclusion and diversity programme manager, Author), Michel-Edouard Ruben (economist from Fondation Idea), Virginie Scuvée (consultant trainer and coach) and Tetyana Karpenko (CEO of The Loupe). Sabina Guerrero of The Job Tailors moderated the panel.
The debate kicked off with an audience poll in which 69% of respondents chose flexibility as the most important factor in their job over career advancement and salary. In addition, 61% stated that they would like to see more flexibility while 39% said that there was not enough flexibility in Luxembourg. The audience was also asked to select the reason why companies are not implementing flexibility and 69% argued that flexibility does not fit with the current business model, strategy and management.
The poll laid the groundwork for a lively debate that looked at all facets of flexibility, whether more part-time jobs are a solution to the lack of flexibility, new communication technologies that support remote working, mobility strategies but also the human factor and people's needs. Indeed, some argued that flexibility could lead to more inequality as not all jobs are suitable for flexibility such as low-wage and menial jobs. Views also differed when it came to the current eight-hour work day, which some supported but others advocated for the six-hour work day.
The panel concluded that due to Luxembourg's unique set-up as a small country with a large expat community, as well as 200,000 cross-border workers entering Luxembourg during the work week, it is important to raise awareness around flexibility and work. Furthermore, the panel emphasised the need for the creation of a framework within which flexibility can be experimented with and normalised in everyday work life.
This evening offered a chance to start the first conversation about flexibility and its societal impacts in Luxembourg. The organisers aim to make this an annual event to create more awareness around the topic.
