Temporary Workers Research Articles

Weathering intermediated temporary labour mobility: social partners in Central and Eastern Europe after EU enlargement

This article highlights the growing significance of intermediated temporary labour mobility, and how it has put further pressure on industrial relations institutions in Central and Eastern Europe since EU enlargement. The social partners’ modest regulatory role has been further challenged and reconfigured by the spread of labour market intermediaries. In their struggle to maintain a degree of regulatory influence in the face of unilateral government regulation and the dominance of intermediaries, social partners have shifted their positions between entrenched consent and antagonism and/or protagonism. Our two case studies of Hungarian temporary agency work in metal manufacturing and posted workers in Slovenian construction show similar labour market pressures on sectoral industrial relations in the two countries, but different responses by social partners, indicating different prospects for national industrial relations. The state has retained the decisive regulatory role in both cases, but the Slovenian social partners, in contrast to their Hungarian counterparts, still have some regulatory influence.

Motivational Strategies for Gig Workers at Bengaluru Urban

Motivational Strategies for Gig Workers at Bengaluru Urban

How Competition for Funding Impacts Scientific Practice: Building Pre-fab Houses but no Cathedrals

In the research integrity literature, funding plays two different roles: it is thought to elevate questionable research practices (QRPs) due to perverse incentives, and it is a potential actor to incentivize research integrity standards. Recent studies, asking funders, have emphasized the importance of the latter. However, the perspective of active researchers on the impact of competitive research funding on science has not been explored yet. Here, I address this issue by conducting a series of group sessions with researchers in two different countries with different degrees of competition for funding, from three scientific fields (medical sciences, natural sciences, humanities), and in two different career stages (permanent versus temporary employment). Researchers across all groups experienced that competition for funding shapes science, with many unintended negative consequences. Intriguingly, these consequences had little to do with the type of QRPs typically being presented in the research integrity literature. Instead, the researchers pointed out that funding could result in predictable, fashionable, short-sighted, and overpromising science. This was seen as highly problematic: scientists experienced that the ‘projectification’ of science makes it more and more difficult to do any science of real importance: plunging into the unknown or addressing big issues that need a long-term horizon to mature. They also problematized unintended negative effects from collaboration and strategizing. I suggest it may be time to move away from a focus on QRPs in connection with funding, and rather address the real problems. Such a shift may then call for entirely different types of policy actions.

Comprehensive Impact of On-Demand Platforms: Examining the Gig Economy\'s Influence on Specialized Professionals, Work-Life Balance, and Gig Workers\' Perspectives

Abstract: The surge of on-demand platforms has reshaped labor markets, notably affecting specialized professionals' roles and work-life balance within the gig economy. This study investigates the multifaceted impact of on-demand platforms on specialized professionals, emphasizing their aggregation onto digital interfaces to meet evolving service needs. Aligning with customercentric strategies, these platforms aim to enhance both functional and emotional value in product offerings. Ethical concerns inherent in the gig economy's structure, especially related to the nature of work, worker status, and algorithmic control, are highlighted. Insights from global contexts, including India, reveal both opportunities—such as technological advancements driving productivity—and challenges like wage pressure and inadequate social security for gig workers. Furthermore, the study delves into gig workers' perspectives, exploring the impact on their health and well-being. Field research insights among gig workers underscore the need for protective measures and inclusive policies within the gig economy. By synthesizing existing literature, this research aims to elucidate the intricate relationship between on-demand platforms, specialized professionals, work-life balance, and the gig economy's impact. It seeks to contribute actionable insights for stakeholders, advocating measures to harness benefits while addressing challenges in this evolving landscape

FRAGMENTED LIVES: EXPLORING THE INNER WORLDS OF GIG WORKERS

The gig economy has become a prominent topic in the 21st century, according to an independent review of workers' emerging era. There are many different types of occupations available in India's gig economy, and the sum of people working in this sector continues to rise. Gig workers face various obstacles. The psychological requirements for gig workers have slowly begun to receive prominence. Limited study exists on psychological capital among gig workers in India. This study intended to test a "Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ)" for freelance employees. The 24-item PCQ measured "self-efficacy, optimism, hope, and resilience. PsyCap can help individuals behave safely, reduce job expectations, and improve safety leadership. We used survey methods to get the data, with 149 samples participating as respondents. The study found that the PCQ dimension in India has strong psychometric qualities, making it a suitable tool for assessing psychological capital in Indian gig employees.

Project acceleration using temporary workers with heterogeneous efficiency: optimal and best recruitment policies

ABSTRACT This paper investigates recruitment decisions of temporary work with several levels of experience, from beginners to experts (heterogeneous efficiency) to accelerate a manufacturing project with the objective of labour cost minimisation. A Mixed Integer Linear Program formulation of the problem is developed to find the optimal pool of temporary work of each experience level so as to minimise the cost subject to a desired deadline. The deadline is decreased decrementally in order to identify any potential patterns of recruitment along the reduction in the project duration. A variety of projects, efficiency levels with respect to years of experience and cost scenarios are considered in an experimental framework. Simulation results show a high sensitivity of the optimal pool of temporary work to the project type, efficiency levels and costs. A worst-case analysis suggests that using solely expert temporary workers might be the best recruiting policy to accelerate a project, whatever the desired deadline.

Organization of employment of minors in the context of the new Employment Law

Based on the analysis of state programs and legislative innovations related to the regulation of public relations related to employment, it is concluded that in relation to minors, the state, taking into account international standards, continues to implement an approach to providing conditions for this category of citizens to receive general and vocational education (including labor education), considering labor activity (paid work) as a secondary (additional) option for their pastime with the establishment of restrictions on certain types of work and preferential working conditions. With regard to minors, both the previous and the current employment law mainly provides (for persons from 14 to 18 years old) for the organization of temporary employment in their free time, at the same time, allowing persons over the age of 16 to obtain the status of unemployed, entailing the establishment of an elevated status in matters of providing employment.

Covid-19 disease burden, vaccine uptake, and workplace disease prevention efforts in temporary agricultural workers in the US

Objective. To compare Covid-19 risk factors, self-reported Covid-19 testing and infection, and Covid-19 vaccination among H-2A workers and agricultural workers without H-2A visas. Materials and methods. Farmworkers completed surveys at randomly selected sites in five U.S. states from March – August 2022. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses were conducted for key characteristics and outcomes. Results. A total of 532 H-2A workers and 748 non-H-2A workers participated in the surveys. H-2A workers had significantly higher Covid-19 primary vaccine series uptake than non-H-2A workers (94.7 vs. 65.9%). More than one in four H-2A workers (29.6%) continued working while ill or positive with Covid-19. Fewer H-2A than non-H-2A workers reported receiving a Covid-19 test (51.5 vs. 59.2%, respectively) and a positive test result for Covid-19 (24.5 vs. 44.9% among those tested). Conclusions. Although H-2A workers had a lower self-reported prevalence of Covid-19 and higher Covid-19 primary vaccine series uptake than non-H-2A workers, findings such as reporting to work while ill or positive for Covid-19 indicate areas for improvement by binational public health leaders.

Employee Engagement in the Gig Economy

This research conducted a systematic literature review to investigate Employee Engagement in the context of the Gig Economy. Key factors, such as work flexibility, organizational support, and work-life balance, were identified as important determinants in influencing employee engagement levels. The research results show that employee engagement contributes to increasing work efficiency, work quality, job satisfaction, and stress management in gig workers. In addition, involvement in employee communities and increasing professional networks are crucial aspects in expanding impact and career opportunities. These findings have significant implications for human resource management policies and practices in supporting the well-being and success of gig workers in the ever-growing gig economy.

The Impact of Technological Progress on the Future of Work: Insights from a Survey on Alternative Employment Contracts in OECD Countries

AbstractTechnology is changing how individuals work and the nature of the job contracts they take. New job market realities include gig work, working for multiple employers, part-time, and on short-term contracts. This study aims to understand whether individuals believe that technological change will lead their industries to experience an increase in alternative work contracts, including self-employment as well as temporary and multiple employer contracts. Through an OECD survey carried out in 25 countries, we find that most individuals expect these work conditions to become more common. However, people’s opinion highly depends on their country of residence and industry of work.

Gig work and gig workers: An integrative review and agenda for future research

SummaryGig workers have become an important component of the contemporary workforce and have generated extensive interest among researchers. The purpose of this article is to provide an integrative review of the literature on gig workers. Consistent with the more recent studies, we adopt a broad definition of gig work, which is characterized by the temporary nature of the work, project‐based compensation, work flexibility, and non‐membership in an organization. We first discuss the major themes in the literature based on an input–process–output framework. Specifically, we review what factors drive individuals to engage in gig work, how gig work impacts gig workers based on four theoretical approaches, and what outcomes individuals experience as a result of engaging in gig work. Based on the literature review, we highlight six future research agendas. We also discuss practical implications for gig workers, traditional organizations, digital labor platforms, and society.

Escaping the trap of temporary employment: Precariousness among young people before and after Spain's 2021 labour market reform act

AbstractTemporary employment has been the core dimension of employment precariousness in Spain for decades. In December 2021, a labour market reform aimed at reducing the use of fixed‐term contracts, which especially affected young people, was passed. This article compares the situation of young workers before and after this labour market reform, with the objective of identifying internal differences among this age group. The results show a substantial reduction in the prevalence of temporary employment after the reform, although they also show that temporary employment, as well as incipient forms of precariousness such as involuntary part‐time employment, are more concentrated than before among the most disadvantaged in this age group, following traditional patterns of segmentation in the labour market. This article, therefore, provides insights into which profiles of young workers were better off after the reform and which were not, offering valuable lessons for other countries with similar labour market challenges.

The search for training and skill improvement of seasonal workers in tourism

PurposeThe paper aims at assessing the role of the different stages of the employment process in gauging workers' willingness to upskill themselves at the end of a seasonal employment contract by investing in further training.Design/methodology/approachThe paper analyses data from a dedicated survey administered to a sample of seasonal employees. Through a regression analysis it explores the different stages of the employment process (job search, selection on the job activities), making a distinction between monetary and nonmonetary components of the investment in training.FindingsResults show that all stages matter, but they do not have the same importance. Ex-ante motivations and work experience, notably the level of perceived workload and organizational commitment, are the main factors affecting workers' willingness to acquire industry-specific skills through training.Originality/valueSo far, the literature has extensively dealt with the poor levels of training in seasonal employers, but it did not analyse worker’s willingness to invest in training over the different stages of the worker experience. This paper fills this gap by separately testing the relative importance of such stages and identifying the most important phases of the employment process.

Incapacidad laboral temporal tras cirugía de rizartrosis mediante trapecectomía y artroplastia de suspensión con sutura de alta resistencia

PurposeThe aim of this study is to assess the time to return to work (TRW) in patients undergoing trapezial resection using the Mini TightRope® system at our center and to investigate factors that might delay return to work following this surgery. Material and methodsA retrospective study was conducted on patients who underwent Trapezial resection and suspensionplasty using the Mini TightRope® system between 2015 and 2016, with a minimum one-year follow-up. Telephone interviews were conducted along with a review of medical records and radiology reports, as well as temporary work disability documents, collecting epidemiological and occupational data. Groups were compared based on age, gender, dominant hand, biomechanical occupational requirements of the patients, and whether they had experienced prior temporary work disability. ResultsA total of 36 patients (29 women and 7 men) with an average age of 55.7 years were included. The median time to return to work was 126 days. Self-employed workers re-entered the workforce 72 days earlier on average; workers who had experienced prior temporary work disability had a greater total temporary work disability duration and took 91 days longer to return to work compared to those who had not. ConclusionsPatients employed by others and those who had experienced prior temporary work disability before the surgery had longer temporary work disability periods. In our study, no differences were observed based on gender, dominant hand, or biomechanical work demands of the intervened patients.

Assessment of quality of life, job insecurity and work ability among nurses, working either under temporary or permanent terms.

Aim of this study was to assess and compare health, quality of life, well-being, job satisfaction and job insecurity between nurses, in a tertiary hospital in Greece, working either under permanent or temporary contract. In this cross-sectional study, consecutively recruited nurses answered a structured questionnaire, the WHO-5 Well-being Index (WHO-5), the Job Insecurity Index (JII), the Work Ability Index (WAI), and the Well-Being at Work Scale (WBWS). Included were 323 nurses (87.6% women, age M±SD 43.68±8.10 years). Tem- porary contract employees had worse quality of life (p = 0.009) and higher job insecurity: both in cognitive dimension (p = 0.013) and emotional dimension (p < 0.001). They also scored worse in the positive affect (p < 0.001), negative affect (p = 0.002) and fulfillment of expectations in work environment (p < 0.001) domains of the WBWS. Additionally, they reported less frequently occupational accidents and injuries (p = 0.001), muscu - loskeletal disorders of the spine or neck (p = 0.007), cardiovascular (p = 0.017), and gastrointestinal (p = 0.010) disorders, while they reported more frequently mental disorders (p < 0.001). Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that temporary work predicted high cognitive (p = 0.010) and emotional (p < 0.001) insecurity, low positive emotions and mood index (p = 0.007), low achievement-fulfillment index (p = 0.047) and high index of negative emotions (p = 0.006), regardless of gender and age. Temporary employment among nurses is associated with a lower sense of job security and well-being, and a higher prevalence of mental disorders, independently of age or gender without a significantly negative effect on their ability to work. Managers, as well as occupational physicians, should recognize the extent of nurses' job insecurity and assess their ability to work, to provide them with the necessary support and to stimulate the sense of occupational security and work capacity, so that they can thrive in their workplace and therefore be more productive and provide high quality healthcare. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2024;37(1):98-109.

Working apart: Domestic outsourcing in Europe

Lower-skilled workers face increasing pressures. Their bargaining position is declining under the twin pressures of globalisation and technological change; and they risk losing access to better positions as firms’ pay and conditions arrangements increasingly drift apart. Rising between-firm differences partly come about through increasing separation of lower-skilled workers into lower-paying firms with worse conditions, thereby reducing their opportunities further. Such polarisation is partly driven by (domestic) outsourcing where main firms take certain tasks that are seen as non-core out of their payroll, instead purchasing those same tasks from another official employer or temporary employment agency while retaining control. Outsourcing generally brings worse conditions and lower pay. This paper uses cross-national European data from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) along with contextual data to study how outsourcing – proxied by moves to business services providers or temporary employment agencies – contributes to a worse labour market position of lower-educated workers over time. I find that (1) domestic outsourcing is increasing over time across Europe; (2) outsourced workers are working under generally worse conditions than their counterparts; and (3) this process is not universal: it hits harder in sectors with greater technological innovation and can be alleviated by union density and worker representation.

'I'm a bit of an invisible worker' - Health care and social sector students' experiences of casual and temporary agency work.

In the wake of national and global personnel shortages, it is becoming increasingly common for students to undertake casual and temporary agency work in the health care and social sectors. This phenomenon can have both advantages and disadvantages for these workers. The objective of this study was to describe health care and social sector students' experiences of such work. Students currently undertaking casual work in the health care and social sector in Finland were recruited (n = 28). Qualitative semi-structured interviews of these students were conducted in March to May 2021. The data were analysed using inductive content analysis. Respondents reported some positive aspects of casual work. In particular, they liked the freedom to choose the workplace and working times that suited them. However, respondents' experiences were mostly negative. They perceived the induction into work as being insufficient, felt they had too few opportunities to give and receive feedback and believed they were not accepted into the working community. Students who have bad experiences while undertaking causal work in the health care and social sectors may develop an aversion towards working in those sectors after graduating. In order to ensure the sectors are attractive to graduates, casual student workers' induction and experience of the workplace must be improved.

Work Devotion as Identity Armor? How Single Professionals with Relationship Aspirations Use Career Decisions to Manage Their Identities

Although scholarship has established how people with a partner, child, or other domestic obligations account for these responsibilities when making career decisions, we lack conceptual apparatus around how career decision making is informed by personal aspirations. Following a cohort of 89 international aid workers over eight years, I draw on in-depth interview (n = 126), survey (n = 551), and job transition data (n = 228) to detail how career decision making serves as a platform for identity management for single professionals who have aspirations for a long-term intimate relationship. I introduce the possibility space, which conveys how the ability to realize relationship aspirations is constrained for work-devoted professionals, especially for straight women and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) people. Yet, they resist scaling back work. I detail why, presenting the three types of career decisions they made: (1) work devotion as identity armor, protecting and affirming their current aid worker identity; (2) temporary work alterations as identity diversification, carving out time to hopefully realize their desired relationship while postponing the affirmation of their aid worker identity; and (3) durable work alterations as identity restructuring, removing the aid worker identity from their identity network. This article’s model of career decision making as identity management and the broader theoretical explanation of how different behavioral practices can manage temporally distinct identities offers important contributions to scholarship on identity, the work-nonwork interface, labor market inequalities, and career decision making. Funding: This research was supported by the University of Minnesota’s Grant-in-Aid of Research, Artistry and Scholarship and a Stanford University Dissertation Support Grant.

Gig work: Does it get you more happiness?

AbstractGig work is one of the fastest‐growing trends in the labor market, one that accelerated during the COVID‐19 pandemic. It is therefore important to understand its impact on individual happiness. A simple theoretical framework is constructed to analyze aspects of gig work and their effect on happiness. In particular, we model happiness as being dependent on various characteristics of work, such as income, work flexibility, job stability and job security, employee benefits, and non‐pecuniary benefits. We demonstrate that merging salaried work and gig work can be an effective way to increase happiness. The proposed framework identifies the characteristics of an individual who will achieve greater happiness in gig work. These insights may help to understand the effect of recent changes in the labor market on workers' happiness.

Skill Specificity on High-Skill Online Gig Platforms: Same as in Traditional Labour Markets?

Abstract Political economists and labour sociologists alike have studied how the skill specificity of workers can be explained, as it significantly affects workers’ performance. However, the emergence of the gig economy may substantially change skill hiring and specificity in online labour markets because gig workers do not need formal educational credentials to offer their services. Instead, skills are “unbundled” from occupations, and platforms provide alternative ways to signal competencies, for example, via their rating and review systems. To shed light on the applicability of existing theories to explain the skill profiles of gig workers, we examine what predicts the skills hired in the online gig economy. Based on multilevel ordinal logistic regression analyses of 2336 gig worker profiles, we show that—as in traditional labour markets—gig workers with a vocational degree and longer online work experience are hired for more specific skills. However, national labour market institutions and educational systems affect the gig workers’ skill specificity in the opposite direction than in traditional labour markets. Our findings thus suggest that online gig platforms allow workers to overcome restrictions imposed by national institutions as they are hired for those skills in the online gig economy that are institutionally less facilitated in their home labour markets.