Part-time Work Research Articles

Attrition problems at food delivery app companies: is there a way out?

Learning outcomes After analysing this case study, students will be able to understand the relationship between compensation, reward management and gig workers’ behaviour; apply the theory of organizational behaviour related to compensation management to address the motivational issues; analyse the challenges in managing the gig workers’ expectations related to compensation; and design innovative ways of retaining gig workers, especially delivery partners among the gig workers. Case overview/synopsis In April 2022, Riya, who worked as a business development manager at a newly established food delivery app company named “Our Kitchen” (located in Hyderabad, India), attended a meeting where the chief executive officer expressed concern about the difficulty in retaining their delivery partners. The company provided food delivery services to the customers by procuring ordered food from partner restaurants in select Indian cities. The delivery partners of the company worked part-time and received a commission for the hours they worked. With the rising fuel cost, minimal career growth and negligible social security benefits, it was hard for them to continue in their jobs. As a result, there were high attrition rates in the food delivery company. This case study is about the attrition issue being faced by the company and explores various strategies through which Riya could think of retaining the delivery partners so that there was a win-win situation for both parties. The dilemma given in the case study would help in understanding the motivational theories and factors that encouraged delivery partners to work for these jobs. Complexity academic level The case study is ideally suited for discussing human resources concepts, especially problems related to the retention of delivery partners without reducing the profit of the organization. It will help in understanding the motivational factors leading to job satisfaction and how that will help in the retention of delivery partners. The case study can also be used to teach the executives in a management development programme. This will help them to understand the gig workers’ motivational factors and the causes of their attrition. Supplementary material Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 6: Human resource management.

Influencing factors of early childhood teachers' disaster preparedness.

The risk of disasters and infectious diseases continues to persist in modern times. Children are a vulnerable group in disaster prevention and management due to their limited ability to cope on their own. Hence, the role and disaster preparedness capacity of early childhood teachers (ECTs) is vital for children's protection. This study aims to explore how ECTs can improve their personal resilience to adapt to and overcome disasters as part of early childhood education and care (ECEC). To this end, this study examined the effects of ECTs' self-efficacy, resilience, disaster awareness, COVID-19 stress, and work-related stress on their disaster preparedness. According to the outcomes of disaster preparedness of ECTs based on their general and job characteristics, full-time employees and principals scored significantly higher in work-related disaster preparedness (WrDP) compared to part-time workers and general and assistant teachers, respectively. Resilience and WrDP were identified as influencing factors of general disaster preparedness (GdP), with an explanatory power of 26.4%. GdP and self-efficacy were identified as influencing factors of WrDP, with an explanatory power of 25.7%. According to the findings, ECTs' self-efficacy and GdP must be improved, followed by developing strategies to strengthen their resilience and WrDP. Doing so would ensure the safety and disaster preparedness of ECTs and infants who have low self-care capacity.

An Optimization Model for Scheduling Additional Medical Personnel During a Pandemic

The most severe and pervasive problems in modern healthcare systems occur during epidemics and pandemics. One of these problems is the reassignment and the rescheduling of the medical staff during the days of the critical weeks with a high number of infected patients, which, at the same time, amplifies the need for hiring additional medical staff. In this paper we are addressing the problem of the number of additional nurses that must be hired as part time workers, with the following objective: to satisfy the minimum number of nurses needed during the days of the critical weeks, while keeping the hospital costs as low as possible. The solution of this problem is obtained by a schedule of the additional personal based on four, partially overlapping shifts, which gave a reduction of the initial costs. It can be applied in any organization that is in need for additional staff, regardless of the reason.

Occupational outcomes of people with multiple sclerosis during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

People with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS) are vulnerable to unfavorable occupational outcomes and the COVID-19 pandemic brought major consequences on people's professional lives. In this view, we decided to investigate the occupational outcomes of PwMS during the COVID-19 pandemic. We performed a systematic review with meta-analysis searching key terms in four databases. We initially included any peer-reviewed original article that enrolled adult patients with the diagnosis of MS and assessed any occupational variable during the COVID-19 pandemic. There were no time limits and no language restrictions. The primary outcomes were the prevalence of unemployment, retirement and employment status change among people with MS during the COVID-19 pandemic. Other outcomes included the modality and characteristics of work: type of work, full-time work, part-time work and remote work. We also searched for data from studies that addressed any change in the work status due to the COVID-19 outbreak. We identified 49 eligible articles comprising a total sample size of 17,364 individuals with MS. The pooled prevalence of unemployment and retirement was 0.47 (95% CI = 0.42-0.53). The pooled prevalence of PwMS who were unemployed or retired was positively associated with the progressive phenotype of the disease (p = 0.017) and the use of glatiramer acetate (p = 0.004), but negatively associated with hospitalization due to COVID-19 (p = 0.008) and the use of immunosuppressants (p = 0.032), siponimod (p < 0.001), and cladribine (p = 0.021). The pooled proportion of PwMS that reported any change of the employment status during the COVID-19 pandemic was 0.43 (95% CI = 0.36-0.50) while the pooled prevalence of PwMS who worked remotely during this period was 0.37 (95% CI = 0.15-0.58). The change in employment status was negatively associated with the duration of MS (p = 0.03) but positively associated with the progressive phenotype of the disease (p < 0.001). Our seminal review may serve as an example of how patients with neurological diseases or disabilities in general may have their jobs impacted in a pandemic and foster the context of global socio-economic crisis.

Part-time work and sickness absence – an organization-level analysis

BackgroundAbsenteeism is consistently higher in public than in private organizations, as is the use of part-time employment. The aim of this study is to identify whether there is a relationship between part-time work and sickness absence at the organizational level.MethodsThe data is a six-year panel for the full population of Norwegian municipalities (N = 422), linking objective register data on both part-time employment and sickness absence. Using OLS regression with fixed effects for municipality and time, we estimate the statistical effects of the municipalities’ use of part-time work on sickness absence.ResultsThe bivariate correlation between percentage position at the municipal level and percentage sickness absence is positive and significant (Pearson’s r = .25, sig LE 0.01). When controlling for fixed effects for municipality and time, as well as municipality economy, municipality size, ratio of female employees in the municipality and characteristics of the general population, the multivariate regression coefficient is still positive but insignificant (coefficient = 1.56, robust standard error = 1.31).ConclusionsThe main findings are that the organizations’ use of part-time work is unrelated to sickness absence indicating that organizations with extensive use of part-time work do not experience higher levels of absenteeism than those having less extensive use of part-time employees.

A Gendered Analysis of Poverty among the Employed in South Africa

Poverty is an obstinate issue in South Africa, with many employed individuals still living in poverty. The gender pay gap and employment in low-income jobs are some of the contributing factors to poverty, particularly for women who, on average, earn 30 percent less than men. Women are also more likely to be employed in low-income jobs in the care economy, which offers few benefits, such as domestic work or part-time work. Men, on the other hand, are more likely to be employed in higher-paying jobs in traditionally male-dominated fields. This study seeks to analyse poverty among employed men and women in South Africa using data from the General Household Survey by Statistics South Africa. The results of the regression analysis indicate that women of colour, particularly those with low levels of education and are potentially in precarious employment, are more likely to be poor compared to men. Policies advocating for gender equality in the workforce need to be reinforced while empowering women and men through education and training.

English

Campus platform software is becoming more and more popular on campuses around the world. This paper provides a comprehensive evaluation and analysis of the creation and implementation of campus platform software. The platform provides students with second-hand trading services, including buying books, daily necessities and other resources at better prices. It also offers users a platform for part-time work, volunteering and entrepreneurship. The analysis of this study provides valuable insights for college students to utilize and create campus platform software.

Non-standard employment and COVID-19 testing in South Korean workers

ObjectivesSARS-CoV-2 testing has been critical in monitoring and containing the COVID-19 pandemic, but there is a dearth of studies on how individuals’ adherence to testing varies according to their working conditions. This study aimed to investigate the association between the type of employment contract and COVID-19 testing among wage workers in South Korea. Study designWe used a nationally representative sample of employees aged 20–65 years collected from March 24 to 31, 2022. To focus on individual responses when the test was recommended, our sample consisted of 1266 participants who had experienced symptoms of COVID-19 or had been exposed to a confirmed case in the household. MethodsWe used multivariate logistic regression to estimate the association between the odds of receiving a PCR test and the type of employment contract while controlling for other potential covariates. ResultsThe percentage of participants who had a SARS-CoV-2 PCR test was 77.8%. After adjusting for all potential covariates, daily workers (OR = 0.35, 95% CI 0.18 to 0.70, P = 0.003) and part-time workers (OR = 0.58, 95% CI 0.39 to 0.86, P = 0.007) had significantly lower odds of being tested relative to standard workers. Other temporary or atypical workers showed no significant differences from standard workers. ConclusionOur findings suggested that individuals in the most vulnerable job positions, with less job security and working hours, exhibited a decreased inclination to undergo COVID-19 testing. More effective job retention and income support policies are required to improve compliance.

Сохранение миноритарных языков и экономические факторы (на примере татарского и карельского языков)

This article argues the importance of studying the economic factors that influence the preservation of minority languages and language choice. Economic and sociolinguistic methods of studying the relationship between minority language proficiency and labor income are considered. The empirical research is made within the framework of an approach close to the ethnography of language policy, i.e. through the prism of personal, subjective views and assessments of “ordinary” people. The empirical case is made up by two republics of the Russian Federation — Tatarstan and Karelia. The material was the data of sociolinguistic surveys, interviews and ethnographic observations collected in these regions in 2021 and 2022. The empirical analysis revealed both the absence of the influence of minority language competence on income, and the presence of spheres and economic niches where such an influence exists. Employment opportunities, earnings and part-time work are available in these republics in the field of science, culture, media, and creative industries. The research also revealed the role of economic factor in the hierarchy of people’s needs. The needs of (linguistic) identity, the desire to preserve “language and roots” take the second place until the basic needs that push people to choose the language of “bread and job” are satisfied. At the end, the article outlines the directions for further research on the relationship between the economic factor and minority languages.

Mental health of general practitioners in Chongqing, China during COVID-19: a cross-sectional study

ObjectivesIn the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, general practitioners (GPs) continue to face unprecedented challenges that affect their mental health. However, few studies have assessed the mental health status of...

Employees’ perceptions of co-workers’ internal promotion penalties: the role of gender, parenthood and part-time

ABSTRACT Much research has focused on penalties by gender, parenthood and part-time work for hiring processes or wages, but their role for promotions is less clear. This study analyzes perceived chances for internal promotion, using a factorial survey design. Employees in 540 larger German (>100 employees) firms were asked to rate the likelihood of internal promotion for vignettes describing fictitious co-workers who varied in terms of gender, parenthood, working hours as well as age, earnings, qualification, tenure and job performance. Results show that promotion chances are perceived as significantly lower for co-workers who are women (gender penalty), mothers (motherhood penalty) and part-time workers (part-time penalty). Fathers and childless men (co-workers) are not evaluated differently (no fatherhood premium or penalty), and neither does part-time employment seem to be perceived as a double penalty for male co-workers. All three perceived promotion penalties are more pronounced among female employees, mothers and part-time employees. These findings show that employees perceive differential promotion chances for co-workers which indicate actual differences due to discrimination, selective applications or structural dead-ends. Either way, perceived promotion penalties are likely consequential in guiding employee’s application behavior and hence can contribute to the persistence of vertical gender segregation in the labor market.

Recognising the value of non-professional part-time work in assessing graduate employability: A challenge to employers

Enhancing graduate employability is an increasing focus within higher education, however, although part-time work is a majority experience for students the skills gained through non-professional employment are often treated as having limited value in constructions of graduate employability. This paper engages in dialogue with a series of viewpoint and research articles in this journal advocating the accreditation of this work by higher education institutions to increase its influence in graduate recruitment. Specifically, these articles challenge students to improve their employability by reflecting on and documenting their part-time work experiences in support of this accreditation approach. In doing so, it is assumed employers will value this work experience and that such accreditation will improve graduates’ employment prospects. In response, reflecting on a study of Australian business students ( N = 92), this paper highlights tensions associated with students’ part-time work and the perceived employability-enhancing value of what is typically characterised by employers as non-relevant, and therefore non-valuable, work experience. The paper concludes by suggesting that shifting the challenge for recognising the value of non-professional work experience away from students and universities and toward industry and employers is more likely to yield improved graduate employment results for students transitioning from education to graduate employment.

The New Emerging World of Work: Growth Story of India’s Gig Economy

The process of digitalization has increased rapidly around the world and this process has transformed societies and brought a new economic revolution. The use of technology has brought a new change in India as well. A paradigm shift in business models, service provisions, and working arrangements has taken place. Now flexible types of jobs are available to freelancers and part-time workers. The gig economy is a relatively new and emerging sector with immense potential for growth and employment generation. This study highlights the growth of the gig economy in India from 2011-12 to 2019-20.The number of gig workers increased from 25.2 lakhs in 2011-12 to 68 lakhs in 2019-20. The CAGR is 16.78 per cent which is statistically significant. The percentage share of gig workers is 37.6 per cent in the formal sector and 62.4 per cent in the informal sector. The percentage share of gig workers is high in retail trade than in any other industry. Gig workers are more visible as shop salespersons, demonstrates, and small market salespersons. The gig economy has started playing a significant role in the Indian economy and impacting various aspects of employment entrepreneurship and consumer behavior.

‘No rest from the mess’: an intersectional analysis of young women’s pandemic lives in Aotearoa New Zealand

ABSTRACT This paper examines how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the everyday lives of young women living in Aotearoa New Zealand. Engaging a feminist intersectional and youth studies approach and drawing upon interviews and focus groups with 45 young women (16–25 years) from diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, we reveal how culture, ethnicity, socio-economic and living conditions impacted the gendered and emotional labor expected of young women (i.e. caring for younger siblings, vulnerable family members, various chores, part-time work), and how the practices of care for others impacted young women’s capacity for their own educational, social and career development. Ultimately, this paper highlights the remarkable agency of young women during the pandemic, their compassion and empathy for others, their learnings and reflections, and how this period of radical social disruption impacted their future imaginings for themselves. In so doing, our analysis raises important questions for youth-focused pandemic educational, social and employment policies, calling for more intersectional approaches that consider how COVID-19 is continuing to significantly and unevenly shape the identity development and life trajectories of young women.

Family structures and parents’ occupational models: its impact on children’s diabetes

AimsThis study examines how family-related factors influence the management of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1DM). We investigate the relationship between family patterns, parental work schedules and metabolic control.Materials and methodsWe analysed data from a nationwide diabetes survey (DPV) focusing on HbA1c, severe hypoglycaemia, diabetic ketoacidosis, hospital admissions and inpatient treatment duration. We used linear regression and negative binomial regression models. Our study includes 15,340 children under the age of 18 with data on family structure and parental division of labour.ResultsChildren from two-parent households have better HbA1c outcomes than children from single-parent, blended or no-parent households (p < .0001). Higher HbA1C levels are associated with children living with an unemployed father, as opposed to those with full-time working parents or with a full-time working father and a part-time working mother (p < .001).ConclusionsThese findings emphasise the importance of carefully considering family structure and working time models in the management of paediatric T1DM. Our results highlight risk factors within the family environment and emphasise the need for family-focused counselling of high-risk patients or severe cases in clinical practice.

Initial patient demographics affecting return to original work after traumatic hand injury in a rural area in Japan: A retrospective single-center study

BackgroundTime off work after traumatic hand injury not only affects individuals but also has socioeconomic repercussions, becoming a serious problem from the viewpoint of labor shortages. In depopulated rural areas, the impact of labor shortages due to time off work is more serious than in urban areas; however, few studies have examined return to original work in rural areas. The purpose of this study was to investigate the patient demographics at the time of hand injury that affect return to original work in a rural area of Japan. MethodsWe retrospectively examined 246 patients with traumatic hand and/or forearm injuries who were working at the time of injury, and who underwent surgical operations and postoperative rehabilitation in a level II hospital in a rural agricultural area. We examined patients' initial demographic data, including gender, age, occupation (white or blue collar), employment status (self-employed, full-time, or part-time workers), complications other than hand injury, workers’ compensation, dominant hand injury, and injury severity as determined using the modified Hand Injury Severity Score. Multivariate logistic regression analysis examined the association between initial patient demographics and return to original work within 150 days after injury. ResultsIn total, 186 patients (76 %) were able to return to original work within 150 days. A multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that three explanatory variables (i.e., severity of injury, complications other than hand injury, and female gender) significantly compromised return to original work. ConclusionsIn the treatment of traumatic hand injury, intensive support should be provided for return to original work for patients who are expected to have difficulty returning to work quickly. In addition, labor shortages can be mitigated by sharing information with the workplace about patients’ prospects of return to original work.

Managing social intelligence from the perspective of optimising labour market pricing

The objective assessment of their labour value by future employers is a pressing concern for all students and graduates of higher education institutions. Young people frequently overestimate their salary expectations, leading to substandard service provision, or conversely, accept low-paying jobs resulting in emotional burnout due to lack of motivation. The purpose of this study was to identify how students with developed social intelligence assess their earnings prospects during their studies, in the first years after graduation and in adulthood. For this, a survey of students was conducted using the TROMSØ test and specially designed questions that helped to identify the respondents’ subjective assessment of the value of their working time. The study found a statistically significant relationship between social intelligence and labour market pricing. This dependence is particularly pronounced for wage expectations immediately after the graduation (p≤0.01**). However, no correlation was found between social intelligence or its components and ambitions for the level of pay during study. It was found that students are willing to look for part-time work for any financial motivation. As for the level of salary that would fully satisfy them in adulthood, the average salary is three times higher than the minimum wage in Ukraine and equals USD 580. By understanding the level of a person’s social intelligence, one can build an effective hiring system, gaining an additional tool for assessing possible salary ambitions. This will help to optimise the work of the HR department and understand the range of financial incentives needed required to stimulate a particular employee

Job expectations and financial fragility: evidence from pre-COVID Spain

Previous research has related household financial fragility (FF) and the employment status of the household members by focusing only on the labour income channel. In contrast, the literature has scarcely addressed the study of this relationship from a psychological perspective that could be related to the theory of bounded rationality. This article aims to analyse how job expectations relate to the level of household FF. Using a sample of 8554 Spanish individuals in the period 2016–2017, we construct a multidimensional index of household FF. The results indicate that households with unemployed, self-employed, or part-time workers have higher levels of FF, but the job expectations of the household and the individual play an even more important role in the level of the FF. These findings suggest that the perception of labour market uncertainty may influence the level of household FF to a greater extent than the objective employment situations of the individuals.

The impact of employment on mental healthcare use among people with disability: distinguishing between part- and full-time employment.

Employment can improve mental health among people with disability (PWD), however, little is known about how different levels of workforce participation influence mental healthcare use. The aim of this study was to estimate the extent to which different levels of working hours are associated with changes in mental healthcare use among PWD. Data on working hours and healthcare use among working age PWD who were receiving government benefits (N=260 825) was obtained from Australian Census-linked administrative records between 2011 and 2019. Individual fixed effects panel models were used to estimate the impact of increased working hours on mental healthcare (services and prescriptions). Heterogeneity analyses by job security and key sociodemographic characteristics were conducted. Compared to not working, we found that working 1-14, 15-29, and ≥30 hours per week was respectively associated with a 3.3%, 18.0%, and 9.9% reduction in the use of mental healthcare prescriptions as well as a 6.8%, 18.4%, and 22.3% reduction in the use of mental healthcare services by PWD. The effects were larger for PWD in more secure work and those living in rural and disadvantaged areas. Working more hours was associated with reduced mental healthcare use among PWD. Policy interventions should consider the broader benefits of enabling part-time and secure work placements for PWD, particularly for those living in rural and disadvantaged regions.

Evaluation of Sustainability of Czech Vocational Education and Practical Training for the Position of Construction Manager

Current requirements of employers in the construction industry are aimed at strengthening the link between schools and the manufacturing sector. It is desirable that the students are during their studies already involved in the investment construction process, at least as part-time workers. At the Faculty of Civil Engineering in Brno, Czech Republic, this is being ensured by the accredited course Professional Practical Training. The aim of this contribution is to evaluate and analyze the inclusion of this student internship as a mandatory part of the study to present how many students worked for which construction companies during a period of 10 years, indicating the number of successfully completed internships for individual academic years. At the same time, the boundary conditions for this practice are described. The hypothesis to be confirmed is that the conditions are set in such a way as to be a prerequisite for successful fulfillment. Descriptive statistics are based on a sample of 92 employers involved in the system of securing professional practices for the period 2010 to 2020. The analysis showed that each year about 70–75% of students stay with the same company for their further part-time work during the remainder of their studies, and they may also stay for subsequent graduate employment. A total of 507 students started and finished their internship. Moreover, in the following years of practice, some of the graduates of the field became responsible for the tutoring of other student’s work experience on the construction site. Having previously gone through the same educational scheme, it allows them to lead and evaluate students with an optimal degree of constructive criticism.