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Protesters campaign against the use of zero hours contracts , but are those who are on them quite fond of their constraints?

The CIPD has found that people working on zero hours contracts are just as happy as employees on permanent contracts.

The new survey evidence published today suggests that, on average, zero-hours contract employees experience similar levels of job satisfaction, work-life balance and personal well-being to employees on permanent, full-time contracts.

The research also finds that zero-hours contract employees report comparable satisfaction levels in their relationship with their managers and colleagues. However, the report also shows that, while the majority of zero-hours employees choose to work part-time, they are more likely than part-time employees as a whole to say they would like to work additional hours.

  • The proportion of zero-hours contract employees who are either very satisfied or satisfied with their jobs is 65 percent, compared to 63 percent for all employees. Zero-hours contract employees are also more likely to say they have the right work-life balance (62 percent compared to 58 percent for all employees) and less likely to feel under excessive pressure at work every day or at least once or twice a week (32 percent compared to 41 percent for all employees)
  • Nine in ten part-time zero-hours employees (88 percent) say they choose to work part time but 22 percent of these part-time zero-hours contract employees would like to work more hours, compared to 18% of all voluntary part-time employees.

The report also presents the first comparable data for employees on short-hour contracts (those where employees are guaranteed up to 8 hours work per week) and shows that short-hours employees have an especially positive view of their situation with 74 percent agreeing they have the right work-life balance. Also, just 14 percent feel under excessive pressure at work at least once or twice a week, compared to 41 percent of all employees.

 

 

 

 

 

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Robert Leeming
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Robert joined the HRreview editorial team in October 2015. After graduating from the University of Salford in 2009 with a BA in Politics, Robert has spent several years working in print and online journalism in Manchester and London. In the past he has been part of editorial teams at Flux Magazine, Mondo*Arc Magazine and The Marine Professional.