Ethical Implications of Zero-Hour Contracts: A Collaborative Study

This essay delves into the ethical considerations surrounding zero-hour contracts, examining their impact on workers, businesses, and society. It analyzes the benefits and drawbacks of these contracts, highlighting the flexibility they offer some individuals while also acknowledging the job insecurity and potential for exploitation they can create. The essay explores how zero-hour contracts affect workers' well-being, social lives, and economic stability, referencing research findings and respondent experiences. Furthermore, it discusses the ethical responsibilities of businesses in utilizing zero-hour contracts, advocating for fair treatment, training, and improved working conditions for employees. The essay concludes by emphasizing the importance of balancing organizational objectives with the ethical treatment of workers, promoting a more equitable and sustainable approach to employment practices. Desklib offers this document along with a variety of other resources to aid in student learning.

Ethics Working
Collaboratively and
Values

Contents
Formative Assessment ....................................................................................................................1
TASK 2 ...........................................................................................................................................1
Explaining the concept of zero-hour contracts ...........................................................................1

Formative Assessment
TASK 2
Explaining the concept of zero-hour contracts
Zero-hour contracts is considered as type of employment contract among an employer
and an employee whereby job giver is not obliged to pay minimum number of working hours to
personnel (Ginès Fabrellas, 2019).
Section 1
Benefits and drawbacks of zero-hour contracts are as follows:
Benefits
 Greater flexibility in job which is
enjoyed by employees.
 Undergraduates can earn extra income
due to this zero-hour contracts.
 Employees can manage their work-life
balance in an effective manner.
Drawbacks
 Insecurity about the job among workers
working on these contracts.
 Affecting life of workers economically
and socially.
 Lack of opportunities in regards with
career progression to employees.
Section 3
It has been discovered from the given article some respondents are happy with their job
on the basis of zero-hour contracts. These encompasses of people who generally does not rely on
this source of this income. Most of the respondents are above 56 and do not poses any direct
financial dependents. They are happy due to provided flexibility in zero-hour work contracts.
They can make them engage in these type of jobs as this research mostly contains retired persons
with good pensions or whose children have left their home (Weghmann, 2019). Through this,
they can earn, meet people and engage themselves in a strategic manner.
Apart from positive aspects of zero-hour contracts, there are some negative impacts too
on well-being of people. For some of the respondents, flexibility comes at the price of uncertain
income and long hours of work. This has messed the social life of workers in a significant
manner. They are not in a position to refuse any work on the basis of contracts. This has led them
to cancel their social engagement. Some of the respondents have reported that uncertainties in
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relation to this practice led them to get anxious which affects their well-being. In this particular
study, researcher is not sure about the health status of workers. However, researcher has assumed
that uncertainties and lack of social engagement can impact adversely on well-being of workers.
Section 5
In the specified article, researcher has provided recommendations to businesses. It has
been recommended to business organisations to provide all workers in regards with permanent
contract by giving an option to make a choice whether they want to opt for zero-hour contracts or
not. It is imperative for organisational managers to enhance these contracts and add a provision
of minimum working hours while retaining flexibility as well as improve working conditions
(Gheyoh Ndzi, 2021). It is desirable for organisational managers to provide relevant training to
workers who gets engaged through zero-hour work contract in a strategic manner.
It is not ethical to business organisations to engage employees only for their working
commitments as well as attaining organisational objectives. Workers who are engaged through
zero-hour contracts should also be given proper training, minimum hours working and improved
corporate culture in a ethical manner. These recommendations are linked to ethics in such a
manner as they provide ethical practices in an effective manner.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Ginès Fabrellas, A., 2019. The zero-hour contract in platform work Should we ban it or embrace
it?. IDP: Revista de Internet, Derecho y Politica. 28.
Weghmann, V., 2019. The making and breaking of solidarity between unwaged and waged
workers. Globalizations. 16(4). pp.441-456.
Gheyoh Ndzi, Ernestine 2021 An Investigation on the Widespread Use of Zero Hours Contracts
in the UK and the Impact on Workers. International Journal of Law and Society. 4 (2).
pp. 140-149.
Longo, F., Padovano, A. and Umbrello, S., 2020. Value-oriented and ethical technology
engineering in industry 5.0: A human-centric perspective for the design of the factory of
the future. Applied Sciences, 10(12), p.4182.
Wang, X., Tajvidi, M., Lin, X. and Hajli, N., 2020. Towards an ethical and trustworthy social
commerce community for brand value co-creation: A trust-commitment
perspective. Journal of Business Ethics, 167(1), pp.137-152.
Barsky, A.E., 2019. Ethics and values in social work: An integrated approach for a
comprehensive curriculum. Oxford University Press.
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