9.6 - Individuals and work: Changing work patterns Flashcards
Social factors leading to changing work patterns
EGG FEET
- Education
- Government policy
- Perceptions of Gender
- Family circumstances
- Economics
- Employment/unemployment
- Technology: Computers, Robotics and automation, Research and development.
Social factors leading to changing work patterns
Education
This includes TAFE, universities, private colleges.
The impact on patterns of work:
- Individuals studying full-time means they may need to access casual and part-time jobs that are flexible in the duration of their course.
The nature of the service industry, is to provide service 24 hours a day. Individuals can work as shift workers to earn an income and provide demand.
Social factors leading to changing work patterns
Government policy
This includes:
- The Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW)
- The Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012
- Parental leave
Impact on patterns of work:
- Minority groups may be able to access flexible work patterns, such as part-time or casual.
- Legislation has allowed full time and part time to attain benefits through their work such as sick leave, etc.
Social factors leading to changing work patterns
Perceptions of Gender
Social and cultural perceptions of males and females, and their impact in the workplace.
Impact on patterns of work:
- Many women desire the flexibility the opportunity to access part-time, casual, job share and other flexible work options.
- It has enabled men (the carers) to work part-time while their partner works full-time.
Social factors leading to changing work patterns
Family circumstances
As a family moves through stages in the life span, their circumstances may change. The changes could be:
- To lose or gain a family member.
- Family’s socioeconomic status by forcing members to gain employment, such as to cope with a redundancy.
- In their caring situation.
Impact on work patterns:
- *Give an example of the following cases below**
- Birth of a child
- Lost a job
- Family breakdown
Social factors leading to changing work patterns
Economics
The state of the economy has a significant influence on
the relationship between employees and their work
patterns.
The time difference between the Northern and Southern
Hemispheres has meant that companies need to trade 24 hours a day if they want to remain competitive.
Traditionally, employees fluctuate according to economic growth and inflation levels.
Impact on work patterns:
- To remain competitive in the global market (24/7), businesses have had to respond and employ shift-workers to communicate around the clock with overseas clients and competitors.
Social factors leading to changing work patterns
Employment/unemployment
- Regular 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. working day is not as common.
- Irregular hours (nights, weekends) can encroach on family time.
- Some changes to the 9–5 format have benefited families.
- The underemployed are those workers who need more working hours to fulfil their own and their family’s basic needs.
Impact on work patterns:
- Changes to the 9–5 format, such as part-time, shiftwork and job sharing; these patterns have enabled people to better manage their time.
- The casualisation of the workforce; this has reduced the number of full-time and permanent jobs available.
Social factors leading to changing work patterns
Technology
Computers:
They have reduced the number of laborious jobs, created new jobs, allowed and enabled people to communicate with others.
Automation:
- The technological advancement in robotics and automation has displaced both skilled and unskilled workers.
- Robotics has also been used for jobs considered too dangerous for employees.
Research and development:
Industries will always require people to take on projects to improve the lives of others e.g.
vaccinations.
The impact on patterns of work:
Computers in some industries, such as media, banking and finance, will increase to compete with competition in the global market (24/7).
