{"id":2410,"date":"2018-11-05T08:28:15","date_gmt":"2018-11-05T08:28:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uniofglos.blog\/eventsglos\/?p=2410"},"modified":"2018-11-15T13:49:31","modified_gmt":"2018-11-15T13:49:31","slug":"zero-hour-contracts-the-good-the-bad-the-context","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uniofglos.blog\/eventsglos\/2018\/11\/05\/zero-hour-contracts-the-good-the-bad-the-context\/","title":{"rendered":"Zero-hour contracts: the good, the bad, the context"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"TextRun SCXW648696\" lang=\"EN-GB\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW648696\">With party conference season over for another year, zero-hour contracts are still a key part of many political manifestos. Seeing as this topic clearly isn\u2019t going\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW648696\" lang=\"EN-GB\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW648696\">away<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW648696\" lang=\"EN-GB\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW648696\">\u00a0any time soon, managers\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW648696\" lang=\"EN-GB\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW648696\">should<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW648696\" lang=\"EN-GB\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW648696\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW648696\" lang=\"EN-GB\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW648696\">consider the fairness and effectiveness of these contracts if they wish to avoid receiving negative press. Despite increasing awareness, the labour market is still seeing a rise in zero-hour contracts being offered, particularly within the\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW648696\" lang=\"EN-GB\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW648696\">events and\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW648696\" lang=\"EN-GB\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW648696\">hospitality\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW648696\" lang=\"EN-GB\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW648696\">industry.<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW648696\" lang=\"EN-GB\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW648696\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW648696\" lang=\"EN-GB\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\"><span class=\"ContextualSpellingAndGrammarError SCXW648696\">So<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW648696\">\u00a0what is the\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW648696\" lang=\"EN-GB\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW648696\">big issue surrounding zero<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW648696\" lang=\"EN-GB\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW648696\">&#8211;<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW648696\" lang=\"EN-GB\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW648696\">hour contracts and\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW648696\" lang=\"EN-GB\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW648696\">why\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW648696\" lang=\"EN-GB\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW648696\">should we\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW648696\" lang=\"EN-GB\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW648696\">care?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Zero-hour contracts\u00a0\u2013 what are they?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>As you may have guessed\u00a0zero-hour\u00a0contracts are exactly that, a contract with no guaranteed hours. This means that employers only have to offer work when it\u2019s\u00a0available. Equally, employees are not obliged to accept any work that is offered to them. Although this is a casual contract, employees are still entitled to annual leave and the minimum wage, the same as regular contracts.<\/p>\n<p>Below is a short animation displaying a few positives and negatives employers and employees face using\u00a0zero-hour\u00a0contracts.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Positives and negatives of zero-hour contacts\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ELxJHbZOokw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\">(Animation made with Biteable)<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Why is this relevant?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Although\u00a0zero-hour\u00a0contracts have been used for many years, they\u2019re now becoming a hot topic in the political environment. As part of a\u00a020-point\u00a0plan for security and equality at work, the\u00a0Labour\u00a0party plan to ban\u00a0zero-hour\u00a0contracts on their return to power.<\/p>\n<p>Zero-hour contracts have been on the rise over the last five years,\u00a0suggesting a movement towards a\u00a0\u201cnew norm\u201d of irregular pay and no job security. A recent study by the Resolution Foundation found that three-quarters of workers do not receive the same pay each month. That\u2019s 75% of all workers not receiving a steady monthly income, sadly making this the norm and not the exception.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to the obvious economic drawbacks of\u00a0zero-hour\u00a0contracts, there is also research suggesting that they pose a threat to\u00a0employees&#8217; mental and physical health! Research conducted by the University College London Institute of Education showed young adults on\u00a0zero-hour\u00a0contracts are less likely to be in good health with increased chest pains and headaches, and at higher risk of poor mental health when compared to those with stable jobs.\u00a0If\u00a0zero-hour\u00a0contracts continue to flood the job market, the long-term sociological impact could be an increased demand on mental health services and more young people moving to out-of-work sickness benefits.<\/p>\n<h2><b><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"2458\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/uniofglos.blog\/eventsglos\/2018\/11\/05\/zero-hour-contracts-the-good-the-bad-the-context\/infographic-v6\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/uniofglos.blog\/eventsglos\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/23\/2018\/10\/infographic-V6.jpg?fit=712%2C400&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"712,400\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"infographic V6\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/uniofglos.blog\/eventsglos\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/23\/2018\/10\/infographic-V6.jpg?fit=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/uniofglos.blog\/eventsglos\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/23\/2018\/10\/infographic-V6.jpg?fit=712%2C400&amp;ssl=1\" class=\" wp-image-2458 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/uniofglos.blog\/eventsglos\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/23\/2018\/10\/infographic-V6.jpg?resize=611%2C344&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"611\" height=\"344\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/uniofglos.blog\/eventsglos\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/23\/2018\/10\/infographic-V6.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/uniofglos.blog\/eventsglos\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/23\/2018\/10\/infographic-V6.jpg?w=712&amp;ssl=1 712w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 611px) 100vw, 611px\" \/><\/b><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\">(Created with Abobe Spark Post)<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Are events always going to be reliant on zero-hour contracts?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Due to their seasonal work, the event and hospitality industry are thriving on\u00a0zero-hour\u00a0contracts.\u00a0Events tend to have their core team throughout the year and rely heavily on zero-hour employees to assist on event days when an influx of staff is needed.\u00a0Stewards, bartenders and waiting staff are just a few examples of the roles that zero-hour employees are used for.<\/p>\n<p>Zero-hour employees, can often lack loyalty, as shown at Finsbury Park Music Festival. Attendees were left in 2-hour long queues due to\u00a0almost half\u00a0of\u00a0the workforce\u00a0failing\u00a0to\u00a0show up.<\/p>\n<p>IOSH carried out a study on zero-hour contract workers within the gig economy and found that these employees were given less protection for their health at work than full time employees. After the survey was carried out, reconsideration from the government banned the exploitation of zero-hour staff, ensuring firms offer holiday and sick pay. Although this is focusing on the gig economy, it is important for event managers to\u00a0also\u00a0consider the treatment of their staff.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What can event managers do?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Managers need to recognise how important it is to look after their staff retention. By carrying out regular training, employers can ensure they get the best out of their employees.<\/p>\n<p>There is debate as to whether the issue is with the contract or poor management styles.\u00a0Excessive regulation of zero-hour contracts won\u2019t resolve the problem, but there are\u00a0several\u00a0measures that can be implemented to get the most out of your event staff:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Communication\u00a0\u2013 send them a welcome message with details about\u00a0the\u00a0job role,\u00a0their point of\u00a0contact\u00a0and general expectations<\/li>\n<li>Information \u2013 ensure staff are well informed\u00a0throughout\u00a0and\u00a0have the\u00a0necessary\u00a0tools e.g.\u00a0a site map to direct guests<\/li>\n<li>Reminders \u2013 checking in a couple days before the event to ensure your work force is\u00a0still\u00a0available<\/li>\n<li>Preparation \u2013 have some form of a\u00a0plan B e.g. agency\/bank\u00a0of\u00a0staff on standby<\/li>\n<li>Approachable \u2013 have a friendly attitude towards your staff, you want to get the best out of them \u2013 first impressions count!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Further\u00a0ways to\u00a0manage\u00a0your staff\u00a0better would be to consider technology, for example\u00a0the\u00a0new\u00a0uTRAC\u00a0app. This is an app that all zero-hour employees can get on their phone.\u00a0The app allows\u00a0instant notifications\u00a0to\u00a0be sent regarding\u00a0available\u00a0shifts\u00a0and\u00a0any\u00a0detail changes. Such technology can help to\u00a0close the communication gap\u00a0between\u00a0employers and employees.<\/p>\n<p>Looking at the future relationship between the events industry and\u00a0zero-hour\u00a0contracts,\u00a0we want to hear how you are tackling\u00a0zero-hour\u00a0contracts!<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>How crucial are your\u00a0zero-hour\u00a0staff to your events?<\/li>\n<li>How will you address the issues around\u00a0zero-hour\u00a0contracts?<\/li>\n<li>What\u00a0experiences\u00a0do you have\u00a0with\u00a0zero-hour\u00a0contracts?<\/li>\n<li>How were you treated\u00a0while on a\u00a0zero-hour\u00a0contact?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Please comment and let us know your views.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With party conference season over for another year, zero-hour contracts are still a key part of many political manifestos. Seeing as this topic clearly isn\u2019t going\u00a0away\u00a0any time soon, managers\u00a0should\u00a0consider the fairness and effectiveness of these contracts if they&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":55,"featured_media":2415,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2410","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-autumn-2018"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/uniofglos.blog\/eventsglos\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/23\/2018\/10\/44700936_549233968859756_8854106927886499840_n.jpg?fit=1024%2C681&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniofglos.blog\/eventsglos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2410","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniofglos.blog\/eventsglos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniofglos.blog\/eventsglos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniofglos.blog\/eventsglos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/55"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniofglos.blog\/eventsglos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2410"}],"version-history":[{"count":27,"href":"https:\/\/uniofglos.blog\/eventsglos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2410\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2882,"href":"https:\/\/uniofglos.blog\/eventsglos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2410\/revisions\/2882"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniofglos.blog\/eventsglos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2415"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniofglos.blog\/eventsglos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2410"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniofglos.blog\/eventsglos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2410"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniofglos.blog\/eventsglos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2410"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}