British Journal of Industrial Relations最新文献

Despite the increasing popularity of gig work, often performed via online marketplaces and platforms, relatively little is known about how such work experiences may influence jobseekers’ future career trajectories. We explore the potential employment signals associated with gig work histories to gain some preliminary understanding of the mechanisms accounting for these signals. We carry out two survey experiments that simulate the hiring decisions of fictitious jobseekers with gig work histories to examine the labour market signals associated with gig work and the extent to which gig work experiences are (more) less preferred to standard employment histories. The findings of Study 1 reveal that for lower skilled jobs (i.e., the delivery driver), gig work experience is not perceived as inferior, nor does it impede employment prospects in the traditional labour market. However, for jobs requiring higher levels of education and/or skill (i.e., the retail manager and the graphic designer), a candidate with standard employment plus a gig work side-hustle is perceived qualitatively the same, but those with only gig work experience, even that which makes use of similar skillsets, are perceived as less desirable. Furthermore, we find that perceptions of lower human capital and a negative signal mediate the relationship between gig work history and the decision to hire the fictitious candidate. In Study 2, added as a replication and extension of Study 1, we found that the lower skilled job was perceived more negatively when the candidate had only gig work experience, whereas higher skilled jobs performed in the gig economy were associated with perceptions of lower human capital. We discuss the implications of the differences in perceptions of gig work for research, practice and society in general.

We examine union-non-union differentials in wages and hours in the United States over the last 50 years using data from the Current Population Survey. The regression-adjusted difference between union members’ and non-members’ hourly earnings has been falling since the Great Recession. The union differential in weekly wages has been more stable. Although it fell by around 5 log points during COVID, it remains 15 log points. This weekly earnings differential arises from both a higher hourly wage of around 10 log points and longer working hours (5 log points). The working hours differential partly reflects unions’ ability to tackle under-employment, such that union workers work closer to the hours they desire than their non-union counterparts. The traditional focus on hourly wage differentials underplays the important role trade unions play in maintaining members’ weekly earnings by ensuring workers receive the paid hours they desire.

The effects of trade union membership on wages and job satisfaction have been studied extensively. Arguably, life satisfaction serves as a more comprehensive measure of the benefits of union membership and warrants closer examination. Using all relevant waves from the German Socio-Economic Panel between 1985 and 2019, we find a negative correlation between trade union membership and life satisfaction in OLS and FE specifications. The association may arise because union members are more concerned about their job and the economic situation and less satisfied with their work. Social capital and wages also perform as channels between membership and life satisfaction. The negative correlation is more pronounced in settings in which trade unions are relatively weak.

This article investigates worker voice as a dimension of job quality and examines its link with job-related outcomes. We refine and test a multi-measure concept of the ‘voice gap’ to capture how much influence workers expect to have compared to what they actually have on a set of work-related issues. Analysing a survey of 1307 American workers, we find that workers distinguish between a voice gap on issues related to their own interests (‘worker-issues voice gap’) and those related to their employing organization's interests (‘organizational-strategy voice gap’). Even after controlling for other dimensions of job quality, a larger voice gap is statistically associated with lower job satisfaction and well-being, as well as higher levels of burnout and turnover intention. Additionally, we find that worker-issues voice gap has a stronger and more significant effect than an organizational-strategy voice gap. Based on these results, we recommend incorporating the voice gap measure in future worker voice research and as a practical tool for evaluating voice as a dimension of job quality.

This study investigates how the quality of performance appraisals influences perceptions of merit pay − whether it is viewed as motivating or divisive − and its impact on achieving performance objectives. Using longitudinal survey data collected from classroom teachers in England and Wales between 2014 and 2018, and employing an instrumental variable approach, the analysis reveals that the effectiveness of merit pay in improving employee performance is closely tied to the quality of appraisal processes. Procedural fairness emerges as a key factor in fostering both motivational and divisiveness attitudes, whereas poorly designed or disengaging appraisals tend to amplify divisiveness rather than motivation, undermining the achievement of performance objectives. These findings highlight the need to carefully weigh both the potential benefits and drawbacks of merit pay systems.