5.1 Employment practices in leisure

Question 1

Give some examples of common jobs in the leisure industry.

Answer 1

Jobs in leisure most commonly include work in retail (shops, restaurants, catering, publicans), leisure attractions staff, hotels (manager, cleaners, bar staff), sports/ fitness/ health/ leisure centres, holiday and events coordinator.

Question 2

List the different types of jobs in relation to the amount of hours worked.

Answer 2

Part-time, job share, full-time, self-employment, casual, temporary, apprenticeships/ training, seasonal, voluntary and fixed term.

Question 3

Describe what a full time job is.

Answer 3

Full time work usually means those who work on a daily basis for eight hours a day, doing just under 40 hours per week.

Question 4

Describe what a self-employed job is.

Answer 4

Being self employed still normally involves the individual working full time as they are solely responsible for the company.

Question 5

Describe what a part time job is.

Answer 5

Part time work usually means those who work set hours and work under 30 hours a week.

Question 6

Describe what seasonal work is.

Answer 6

Seasonal work that is available in the leisure industry is work that is only available during some parts of the year. For example holiday parks that close in the winter months, Seasonal work can be either full time or part time.

Question 7

Explain what the private sector is.

Answer 7

Leisure organisations such as leisure centres run by owners in order to make a profit.

Question 8

Explain what the public sector is.

Answer 8

Leisure organisations that are run by local authorities to support the local community.

Question 9

Explain what the voluntary sector is.

Answer 9

non-profit organisations run by local people.

Question 10

Give examples of organisations within the private sector in the leisure industry.

Answer 10

Private health clubs and private holiday companies like PGL.

Question 11

Give examples of organisation within the public sector in the leisure industry.

Answer 11

Leisure centres, boating lakes and some football clubs.

Question 12

Give examples of organisations within the voluntary sector in the leisure industry.

Answer 12

Some football clubs, Brownies, Scouts, Cubs, Badgers, Girl Guides and Beavers.

Question 13

Explain zero hours contracts in relation to part time work.

Answer 13

Staff are given no regular hours nor are they given any guaranteed hours but are called in at short notice when demand is high.

Question 14

Explain term time only contracts in relation to part time work.

Answer 14

These are usually given to parents who can only work while their children are at school and need to be home for the holidays some lifeguards, receptionists and sports assistants may also be given these hours.

Question 15

Explain twilight shift contracts in relation to part time work.

Answer 15

Staff are hired to cover quieter times such as later in the evening when core workers are not needed.

Question 16

Explain what is meant by job share.

Answer 16

This is a relatively new type of employment whereby two people share the duties and responsibility of one full time job position. it requires both sharers to take joint responsibility for whole job, not just the duties undertaken individually .

Question 17

List the advantages of a job share.

Answer 17

• Work can be spread according to the skills of each partner
• Reduced work load due to less hours
• Flexible hours of work
• Lots of ideas can be shared and the job improved
• Can be less stressful
• Holiday, busy times and long term illness can be covered
• Shared responsibility
• Job can be more efficient with two people

Question 18

List the disadvantages of a job share.

Answer 18

• There is a shared responsibility which means that both workers who don’t work efficiently together will find the job hard and more stressful
• There needs to be constant, good communication (if not efficiency will decrease)
• It can be hard to get a promotion because it is a team job and they may not want to promote two people, or one of the team may not want a promotion.
• Staff training will be more expensive for the company as there is two people to train
• Finding employers that want a job share could be very difficult (employee)
• Finding two employees to job share can be hard (organisation)

Question 19

Describe what an apprenticeship is.

Answer 19

An apprenticeship is the studying of a trade on the job rather than at school, it is paid work but usually at a very low rate.

Question 20

Describe what a training programme

Answer 20

A training program is being taught new and useful skills, this can be done on the job, qualifications done individually and training off the job.

Question 21

Explain why some people choose a apprenticeships/ training programs over higher education/ jobs, what are the benefits?

Answer 21

• They may not want to go into further education, they don’t feel it will be beneficial.
• It is offered by their current employer
• They are mostly based on NVQ’S (National Vocation Qualification) so it can be used nationwide.
• Opportunities to get new skills, further your experience, increases the chances of getting a job in that sector or with the company offering it.

Question 22

List where apprenticeships are most commonly offered.

Answer 22

• Collages
• Independent training organisations
• In house at a company

Question 23

List jobs in the leisure industry that could offer an apprenticeships.

Answer 23

• Fitness coach
• Activity leader
• Assistant manager in a leisure centre

Question 24

What is a voluntary worker?

Answer 24

Someone who is doing unpaid work, often done for charity, voluntary organisation, associated fund-raising body or a statutory body.

Question 25

List some personal benefits of being a voluntary worker.

Answer 25

• Building confidence/ self-esteem
• Making a difference to the organisation and people being helped.
• Providing new opportunities and challenges
• Meeting new people and making new friends
• Good experience for your CV which may help to get a job.

Question 26

What is a contract of employment?

Answer 26

All types of employment require that a contract is to be issued. These written documents are evidence of a legal binding relationship with the employer. The contract can protect both the employer and employee.

Question 27

List what can be included in an employment contract.

Answer 27

• Amount of wages
• Payment periods
• Start date
• Job title
• Hours of work/ holidays
• Sickness and pension rights
• Employee rights

Question 28

Describe what flexible working is.

Answer 28

Flexible working is a system that leisure organisations use to try and adjust the size and mix of labour to match shifting demand and to make sure that they are not over staffed at anytime

Question 29

List the main aspects of flexible working that organisations must consider using (Atkinson 1984 flexible firm).

Answer 29

• Numerical adjusting/ flexibility
• Functional matching/ flexibility
• Distancing
• Pay flexibility

Question 30

Describe numerical adjusting.

Answer 30

Adjusting hours to meet fluctuation times.

Question 31

Describe functional matching.

Answer 31

Matching skills to tasks and changing work loads, where a slump in demand for leisure facilities occurs.

Question 32

Describe distancing.

Answer 32

Outsourcing work such as employing a contractor to clean and cook for a holiday park.

Question 33

Describe pay flexibility.

Answer 33

Adjusting pay and rewards to respond to high demand e.g. asking someone to work Christmas.

Question 34

State an advantage of numerical adjusting.

Answer 34

Works to profit margins, spending less in quite periods on workers.

Question 35

State a disadvantage of numerical adjusting.

Answer 35

As a worker you don’t not have set hours.

Question 36

State an advantage of functional matching.

Answer 36

It moves staff to the right areas of work according to the skills they have.

Question 37

State a disadvantage of functional matching.

Answer 37

Some people may not have the skills to do jobs available to them and therefore have to do something they do not necessarily excel at in order to maintain their job during quiet times.

Question 38

State an advantage of distancing.

Answer 38

It can be cheaper to hire people from outside the business, and if there are any issues they can be easily fired.

Question 39

State a disadvantage of distancing.

Answer 39

Can be hard to find people and communication may be difficult between company and hired contractor.

Question 40

State an advantage of pay flexibility.

Answer 40

You can have zero hour contracts for employees, works on profit margins like numerical adjusting.

Question 41

State a disadvantage of pay flexibility.

Answer 41

It is not continuous work for employees.