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Full-time jobs by adding up two part-time jobs??
| Posted on 07 januari 2010, 10:27 uur by Ellen Offers |
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We are looking for good examples of the combination of jobs and tasks or other ways to solve the hereafter described problem.
In shrinking and ageing regions, shortages on the labour market are forthcoming, in particular in labour intensive branches as health care. In the health care sector, because of work peaks in the daily practice (e.g. in the morning helping clients to dress and in the evening helping them to undress), many jobs are offered as part-time jobs. Some employers also explain this from the physical work strain in health care jobs. A full-time job is simply too wearing out to fulfil on a full-time base, especially in combination with private caring duties.
Some employees are satisfied with a part-time job, e.g. parents with small children. Others, however,
prefer or need a full-time job. In particular young employees and men want to work full-time. For young people this is an important reason to leave the health care sector (Offers, 2009).
If we want to attract as many people as possible for health care jobs, we need to provide more full-time jobs. Because of the before mentioned characteristics of the jobs, a simple elaboration of working hours is not the solution. We have to look for more creative solutions, e.g. a combination of two different jobs, with work peaks on different hours and without an accumulation of work strain.
In the Netherlands, for example, institutions for maternity help and day care centres work together. However, many problems has to be overcome, such as differences in collective employment agreements, the practical fit of two flexible jobs, extra administrative costs and legal charges.
We are curious if other DC NOISE partners know good examples of the combination of jobs or other ways to create full-time jobs for health care workers.
By Ellen Offers and Meta Kampen
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