The Impact of Zero-hour Contract

Zero-hour contract allows employers to employ staff with no guarantee of work. It is a contract between the employer and employee. The employer does not have to provide any minimum working hours, whilst the employee does not have to accept the work that is offered.

Motivation is the intensity of efforts, the direction of the organisations goal and determination until the goal is achieved. Employees are also motivated by the reward which is salary. There are three different type of perspective motivation. Content perspective is the underlying human needs that help to understand how the needs can be satisfied in the work place. The process perspective understands how people seek the rewards in the workplace. To receive a reward zero-hour contract in process perspective shows that the employees may have to work harder or leave the company as they would be unable to receive the rewards. The reinforcement perspective understands how to change the employee’s behaviours through rewards or punishment.

Frederick Taylor said that employees are motivated by rewards, money. Zero-hour contract will show that employee will not be motivated to work, this could be a factor of the employee is unable to obtain work as the employer decides when the work should be given. Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs has said that people are motivated by needs and when each need is met they move up the hierarchy. The lowest level in the hierarchy of needs is the one with the highest priority. The hierarchy of needs are physiological, safety, security, esteem and self-actualisation. The physiological need is the basic need which is food and shelter and once this is met the employee is motivated to achieve the next need. The next need is safety, and this is job security and working environment. The zero-hour contract does not allow this need to be fulfilled as the employee has inconsistent hours and salary and is unsure of when they next will be able to work. This zero-hour contract will demotivate the employee as they would not be able to provide for their family which means their safety needs will not be met. According to Maslow, if the safety need is not met, posttraumatic stress may occur. However, zero-hour contracts are a motivator for student or retired people. It works as a motivator as it allows them to be able to choose the hours that is suitable for them to work, it also allows them to have a good relationship with their managers so that they can gain those shifts. The zero-hour contract will allow students and retired people to achieve their safety needs.

The impact of zero-hour contract can lead to a negative effect on an employee. They may feel under pressure to accept the work that is provided as they may feel that if they don’t accept it, they won’t be offered work in the future. The zero-hour contract leads to employees being unable to progress in the workplace as they will not have enough skills or trainings experience to gain a better role in the company or other companies. A zero-hour contract is a demotivation to some employees however, a zero-hour contract is good for student our retired people as they would be able to work when they wanted to, those can avoid any stress that it may impose, and they can juggle their lifestyle and a full-time job. It also means there is no full commitment in working a set number of hours each week Zero-hour contracts are a motivator to some employee as they may rely on that type of work to provide a living for their family, however zero-hour contract provides a flexibility to employees as they are able to decide the hours and when they should work. Zero-hour contracts based on theorists has shown that if the employees are unable to satisfy their needs then they are unable to progress to the next level of Maslow’s hierarchy. However, Herzberg believes there are other motivators that salary that can allow an employee to be motivated.

Cineworld uses zero-hour contracts in its work force, it allows the business to send their employees home when there is no work or change the shift pattern each week. The zero-hour contract in Cineworld works well in the company as many of their employees have second jobs. However, there are the risk of favouritism as shift would only be given out to staff that did not challenged the managers. Zero-hour contract allows employers to employ staff with no guarantee of work. It is a contract between the employer and employee. The employer does not have to provide any minimum working hours, whilst the employee does not have to accept the work that is offered. Motivation is the intensity of efforts, the direction of the organisations goal and determination until the goal is achieved. Employees are also motivated by the reward which is salary.

There are three different type of perspective motivation. Content perspective is the underlying human needs that help to understand how the needs can be satisfied in the work place. The process perspective understands how people seek the rewards in the workplace. To receive a reward zero-hour contract in process perspective shows that the employees may have to work harder or leave the company as they would be unable to receive the rewards. The reinforcement perspective understands how to change the employee’s behaviours through rewards or punishment.

Frederick Taylor said that employees are motivated by rewards, money. Zero-hour contract will show that employee will not be motivated to work, this could be a factor of the employee is unable to obtain work as the employer decides when the work should be given. Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs has said that people are motivated by needs and when each need is met they move up the hierarchy. The lowest level in the hierarchy of needs is the one with the highest priority. The hierarchy of needs are physiological, safety, security, esteem and self-actualisation.

The physiological need is the basic need which is food and shelter and once this is met the employee is motivated to achieve the next need. The next need is safety, and this is job security and working environment. The zero-hour contract does not allow this need to be fulfilled as the employee has inconsistent hours and salary and is unsure of when they next will be able to work. This zero-hour contract will demotivate the employee as they would not be able to provide for their family which means their safety needs will not be met. According to Maslow, if the safety need is not met, posttraumatic stress may occur. However, zero-hour contracts are a motivator for student or retired people. It works as a motivator as it allows them to be able to choose the hours that is suitable for them to work, it also allows them to have a good relationship with their managers so that they can gain those shifts. The zero-hour contract will allow students and retired people to achieve their safety needs.

The impact of zero-hour contract can lead to a negative effect on an employee. They may feel under pressure to accept the work that is provided as they may feel that if they don’t accept it, they won’t be offered work in the future. The zero-hour contract leads to employees being unable to progress in the workplace as they will not have enough skills or trainings experience to gain a better role in the company or other companies. A zero-hour contract is a demotivation to some employees however, a zero-hour contract is good for student our retired people as they would be able to work when they wanted to, those can avoid any stress that it may impose, and they can juggle their lifestyle and a full-time job. It also means there is no full commitment in working a set number of hours each week Zero-hour contracts are a motivator to some employee as they may rely on that type of work to provide a living for their family, however zero-hour contract provides a flexibility to employees as they are able to decide the hours and when they should work.

Zero-hour contracts based on theorists has shown that if the employees are unable to satisfy their needs then they are unable to progress to the next level of Maslow’s hierarchy. However, Herzberg believes there are other motivators that salary that can allow an employee to be motivated. Cineworld uses zero-hour contracts in its work force, it allows the business to send their employees home when there is no work or change the shift pattern each week. The zero-hour contract in Cineworld works well in the company as many of their employees have second jobs. However, there are the risk of favouritism as shift would only be given out to staff that did not challenged the managers.