Sir Richard Branson, the billionaire founder of Virgin Group, has told 170 staff working for its head office that they can take as much annual leave as they like, providing it will not damage the business. “Flexible working has revolutionised how, where and when we all do our jobs,” Sir Richard said on his website. “‘So if working nine to five no longer applies, then why should strict annual leave (vacation) policies?” Sir Richard said he was inspired by Netflix, the US based video streaming service that has a similar policy on not tracking staff holidays. The company reported that staff morale, creativity and productivity had all risen since the “non policy” was introduced.

The blurring of the boundaries between work life and home life caused by advances in mobile technology meant that companies were “no longer able to accurately track employees’ total time on the job,” Sir Richard said, adding that there was no need for his staff to ask for approval before taking time off. “It is left to the employee alone to decide if and when he or she feels like taking a few hours, a day, a week or a month off, the assumption being that they are only going to do it when they feel 100 per cent comfortable that they and their team are up to date on every project and that their absence will not in any way damage the business or, for that matter, their careers,” he added. The rules apply to about 170 staff working at the Virgin head offices in the UK and US. The wider Virgin Group, which employs about 50,000 people around the world in transport, aviation, technology and banking, will not adopt the same policy yet.......

Questions 

1. In what ways has flexible working revolutionised employment? 

2. What are the benefits and dis-benefits of flexible working to employers and employees? 

3. Should employees be able to take as much time off work as they want? 

4. To what extent do you agree with some critics who have claimed that Richard Branson’s statements on time off work for his employees is a ‘publicity stunt’?