Contract Work, a Blessing in Disguise? An Application of the Tenets of the Dual Labour Market Theory

Abstract

This study aims at investigating the good and bad of contract employment and examines whether there have been changes in the working conditions over time. Specifically, the study explored why people accept contract work and the peculiar emotional challenges they experience due to their employment status. A qualitative research design was employed with data collected through interviews with 34 employees from six financial institutions in Ghana. Thematic analysis revealed that individuals’ reasons for accepting contract work were either for socioeconomic convenience, affective or job-related factors. The emotional challenges experienced by these contract workers were either psychological or social. Another finding that emerged pertained to intrinsic and extrinsic protective factors for the experience of these emotional challenges. These findings imply that although contract workers are more vulnerable and may experience a variety of emotional challenges compared to permanent workers, some of these contract workers consider their jobs a blessing rather than a curse.