Chapter 23- Employment, Work and Volunteering Flashcards
Work is…
Any activity that requires effort and involves doing a task
E.g. Chef Donal Skehan cooks a BBQ for family and friends
Employment is…
Work carried out in return for payment called a wage/ salary
E.g. Chef Donal Skehan cooks for a programme on RTÉ and receives payment
Wage:
Usually paid weekly and is based on the number of hours worked
Salary
Usually paid monthly and is the same every month regardless of how many hours worked
Employee
A person who is paid for the work they do
What is a contract of employment?
A contact of employment is an agreement between an employer and an employee. Employees are entitled to one and it must be signed by the employee and the employer at the start of the employment
What does a contract of employment contain? (7)
- job title and description of duties
- length of employment contract (e.g. 6 months or 1 year)
- salary or wages employee will receive
- holiday entitlements {employees are entitled to 20 days paid annual leave}
- condition of the job (hours of work- e.g. 9am-5pm / location)
- dress code and rules of the workplace
- minimum notice required before ending employment
What are the five types of employment?
- Fixed Term Employment
- Job Sharing
- Flexitime
- Teleworking
- Self Employment
Fixed Term Employment
Employee is hired on a temporary basis. Once the fixed term has expired they no longer work for the company.
e.g. 6 month fixed term contract
Job Sharing
When two employees make up one working week. They share the hours of one person
Flexitime
Employee can start/ finish work at a time that suits them so long as they complete the required number of hours in the week
Teleworking
Employee works from home but completes the duties as if they were in the organisation
Self Employement
Employee works for themselves and earns income from the profits of the business.
e.g. entrepreneur
What are the benefits and rewards of employment? (4)
- financial security
- knowledge and skills
- ability to buy a house
- opportunities to travel
BENEFITS & REWARDS: financial security
Earning a wage/ salary gives you financial security as you have income at regular intervals. This allows you to buy necessities as well as the occasional luxury. It also gives you the opportunity to save for the future
BENEFITS & REWARDS: knowledge and skills
Employment gives you the opportunity to increase your knowledge and skills by learning new things in the workplace. This helps you get more jobs/ promotions in future
BENEFITS & REWARDS: ability to buy a house
Employment may give you the opportunity to borrow to purchase a home. Applying for a mortgage requires proof of income and job security
BENEFITS & REWARDS: opportunities to travel
Some jobs may require you to travel around the world to meet clients
Outline unemployment:
Unemployment occurs when a person is willing and available for work but is unable to find a suitable job.
Unemployment leads to a loss of income, but some people may qualify for a payment from the government called Job Seeker’s Benefit (Dole)
Impact of high unemployment in Ireland:
- Emigration: people leave Ireland to find work in other countries like Canada and Australia
- Increase of government expenditure on Job Seeker’s Benefit
How to reduce unemployment in Ireland:
- buy more Irish-produced goods to create more Irish jobs
- encourage entrepreneurship: Irish people could start their own businesses
- educate people and improve skills for the workplace
What does volunteering mean?
Volunteering means doing something without payment that will benefit other people,society or the environment
Benefits of volunteering to an individual: (4)
- sense of achievement
- positive impact on career
- develop new skills
- connect with community
Benefits of volunteering to an individual: SENSE OF ACHIEVEMENT
Volunteering makes people feel good about helping others and making a difference to other people’s lives
Benefits of volunteering to an individual: POSITIVE IMPACT ON CAREER
Volunteer work can give you excellent experience and skills to make your CV stand out when applying for a job as it shows you are hardworking. It could lead to paid employment
Benefits of volunteering to an individual: DEVELOP NEW SKILLS
Volunteering allows you to develop new skills such as communication and teamwork which can be helpful for other jobs
Benefits of volunteering to an individual: CONNECT WITH COMMUNITY
Volunteering helps you make connections with new friends and other like-minded people in the community
Benefits of volunteering to an organisation: (3)
- new skills
- motivated volunteers
- efficient use of funds
Benefits of volunteering to an individual: NEW SKILLS
Volunteers can bring a wide range of new skills to the organisation
Benefits of volunteering to an individual: MOTIVATED VOLUNTEERS
As many volunteers are passionate about the cause, the organisation benefits from having dedicated and hardworking people
Benefits of volunteering to an individual: EFFICIENT USE OF FUNDS
As volunteers are not paid, any funds the voluntary organisation collects can be put towards the cause - not wages
Benefits of volunteering to society: (2)
- improved community spirit
- creates services and activities
Benefits of volunteering to society: IMPROVED COMMUNITY SPIRIT
The idea of helping and including others is a big part of being a volunteer. This leads to a closer community as members are working together
Benefits of volunteering to society:CREATES SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES
Society benefits because volunteering creates services and activities in the community such as scouts and GAA coaching
Characteristics of a Volunteer:
- respectful
- reliable
- professional
- ethical
- confident
