An ill-informed choice: empirical evidence of the link between employers' part-time or temporary employment strategies and workplace performance in Canada. Issue 19 (28th October 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zeytinoglu, Isik U.; Chowhan, James; Cooke, Gordon B.; Mann, Sara
• Is Part Of: International journal of human resource management. Volume 28:Issue 19(2017)
• Page Start: 2713
• Page End: 2737
• Publication Date: 2017-10-28
• Subjects: Employer strategies -- part-time or temporary employment -- reducing labour costs -- workplace performance; Personnel management -- Periodicals; Human capital -- Management -- Periodicals; 658.3
• DOI: 10.1080/09585192.2016.1138316
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0958-5192

Abstract

Abstract: Many employers seek flexibility through part-time or temporary employment to achieve improved competitiveness and success. Using strategic choice theory, this study is a longitudinal examination of employers' strategic decisions of reducing labour costs and using part-time or temporary workers on workplace performance. Workplace performance is measured through profitability, productivity and change in net operating revenue. Statistics Canada's Workplace and Employee Survey longitudinal workplace data are used for the analysis. Results show that reducing labour costs strategy has no effect on profitability, productivity or change in net operating revenue, and using part-time or temporary workers strategy shows decreased profitability and productivity, and that there is no effect on the change in net operating revenue in Canadian workplaces studied. Based on these findings, we recommend that employers, in Canada and elsewhere, not only carefully weigh reducing labour costs and employing part-time or temporary workers strategies for workplace performance, but also reconsider such strategies and instead seek alternative means of improving workplace performance.