Flexible Working Models Underway: Turkiye

By Justin Mays: 

The Labor and Social Security Minister, Vedat Bilgin, indicated that the country added a flexible working concept to its agenda. The Turkish Confederation of Employer Association (TISK) conducted a study that showed the possibility of remote work for 21 percent of the country's population, which is expected to increase.

"We need to think and criticize that an 8-hour work day is now a part of our old habit," said Bilgin on the 18th of July. "Today, there are studies in many countries to reduce daily and weekly working hours. These changes will inevitably occur as technology replaces labor and disassociates the production process from the workspace," he added.

Ozgur Burak Akkol, the TISK President, highlighted various flexibility models, including micro jobs, part-time work, and on-call working. The "Next Generation Working Models" report indicated that four out of ten European employees switched to working from home with the pandemic's start.

The Proliferation of Secured Flexible Working Models is expected to fight against unregistered employment. It will also stand as a drive to increase the competitiveness in the country while creating new employment opportunities, especially for vulnerable groups. "The goal of 'Promoting Secure Flexible Working Models' will create benefits for all workers, employers, and the public. It is not a choice but a necessity for transforming working life in our country, focusing on 'The Future of Our Business," said Akkol.

Hurriyet Daily News reported that a study of 4,000 people showed that 51 percent of the participants were more productive while working from home. In contrast, 95 percent expressed that their productivity did not increase. Although a large number of those interviewed do not want to return to their traditional office life, 49 percent of those interviewed stated that they missed their workmates, and 14 percent of them reported that they missed the time they spent with their colleagues between breaks.