Flexible Working Practices Flashcards
What is a zero hours contract
A contract between an employer and worker where:
- the employer is not obliged to provide any minimum working hours
- the worker is not obliged to accept any work offered
Advantages of zero hour contracts
- Creates a leaner and more profitable business
- Increases employment levels
- Suits certain workers eg students
Disadvantages of zero hour contracts
- Creates exploitation of workers
- Keeps wages low due to lack of upward pay pressure
- Business reputation may be harmed
- Creates anxiety for some workers if they don’t know whether they can cover bills (lack of security)
What is meant by remote working
Allowing employees to work away from the business premises
Advantages of remote working
- Employee saves time and money from commute
- Business can increase number of staff with no increase in office space
- Less distractions are home so better concentration
- Morale increase due to trust element
Disadvantages of remote working
- May have distractions at home
- Lack of social interaction
- May not have resources at home
What is meant by term time working
When a worker doesn’t work in school holidays
What is meant by time off in lieu
Structured and paid time off for having worked additional hours
Eg farmer
What is meant by jab sharing
Splitting/dividing work load between 2 or more employees
What is meant by compressed hours
Working the same number of hours in a shorter time period
What is meant by annualised hours
Working a certain number of hours per year with a degree of flexibility
Advantage of job sharing to business
Reduced labour turnover
Advantage of compressed hours to business
Reduced cost if paying for commute
Advantage of annualised hours to business
Labour can be matched with demand so more efficient
Advantage of using term time work
Recruitment
Advantage of time off lieu
Reduce costs
What is meant by flexi-time
A system of flexible working where employees have a choice over the times they work their contracted hours, but must be present during ‘core time’, and start and finish within the flexible bands at the beginning and end of the day
Reasons why staff like flexi-time
- Help with childcare
- Achieve better work/life balance at your own discretion
- Avoid rush hour traffic or expensive peak time train tickets
Disadvantages of flexi-time
- Disrupted communication
- Meetings more difficult to schedule
- Employees May be unproductive during any unsupervised hours
- There may be tension if not all employees are allowed to do this
- Variable costs may increase as a result of the premises being open longer
What is meant by part-time working
A form of employment with less than 35 hours worked per week
Impacts of increased part-time working
- Communication is more difficult
- Match labour with demand so increase efficiency
- Increase diversity due to more workers
- Cover sickness more easily
- Manager workload increases
