Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Economy – in the Senedd at 2:02 pm on 23 March 2022.
No, we're not at that point. We are having a conversation about what is a healthy balance in the way that the world of work has changed during the pandemic, and how much that change is going to be permanent. And actually, some of the challenges about the surveillance of people when they're working remotely—it's a matter that, of course, Sarah Murphy, the Member for Bridgend has consistently raised. There's a balance between those people who have seen a well-being improvement from being able to have some of their working life done remotely and those who have found it a struggle in not being as connected to the workplace as well. So, it isn't as simple as saying, 'Going back to the office is good for everybody's mental health', and it's not as simple as saying, 'People not working in an office is good for them as well.' So, there's the challenge in the balance. And interestingly, at yesterday's CIPD conference, this was part of the conversation being had.
In the visitor economy forum meeting that I had today, I made the offer that what I would like from the Government's point of view is a clear understanding, as the changing pattern emerges, between businesses and business organisations and trade unions, on what a better pattern of a working life is likely to mean, to make sure we balance some of these competing objectives in how you get on in your industry—actually, part of the practical business of learning on the job, as I did when I was a trainee solicitor; doing that was much easier when you were around other people—and at the same time, balancing other parts of your life and not necessarily having to be in a singular workplace five days a week for as many hours as possible. So, that's part of the challenge that we have, and I'm optimistic that we will get to a sensible place, because of the successful social partnership approach that we have. And that may mean that there is a case to change the reserved matters of employment law, and it may also mean we can do some of that, simply, with the successful partnership that we've already established here in Wales.