EnglishAssessment details:
Choose Four Media Articles discussed in four different tutorials between week 2-12 and complete the following template for each individual article
Media Article One
Topic No.: 5
Title of Media Article:
Kaine, S. and Josserand, E. (2016) ‘Workers are taking on more risk in the Gig economy’ The Conversation 6 July
What are the key ideas presented in the media article as they relate to concepts of work and employment raised in course readings? (max 200 word):
This report analysis that inducing modern technology improvements, on-demand employees have continuously expanded for well over a decade and created a new gig economy. The economy is in which more and more individuals prefer to live in several tiny “gig” or are obliged to do so, instead of working full or part-time. The researcher also asserts that workers must frequently not just contribute their time and efforts but also an investment to secures jobs in the gig-economic world. This means that workers not only take risks from unsafe jobs but also dangers from investment in companies they have little influence over. Traditional businesses give capital and workers offer labour in the conventional economy. However, a wide range of organizations currently supplies highly diverse goods and services via digital platforms in the sharing economy that link customers and service providers. This implies companies generate money by giving access to goods and services and connecting smaller providers to consumers, the risk from the company to individual gig workers.
What are the benefits and/or challenges workers confront in the article, and how does this connect with the course readings? (max 200 words):
The article says that gig employees are becoming more and more vulnerable not just to their employment, but also to their capital. It happens when ownership of the assets that are used in the workplace depends on certain situations outside the workers’ control. Other studies argue that this development might signify a degradation to the social compact between staff and employers, since certain organisations, like taxes and employee benefits, use more contingent workers to decrease responsibilities and expenses. Independent gig workers are seen greater work-life balance, incentive compensation and relevant feedback. Furthermore, independent gig workers are far more flexible, creative, autonomous and even good feedback compared with typical jobs. In addition to getting paid timely and accurately, independent gig workers often tend to satisfy the most across all these working conditions. On the other hand, in legal terms, gig workers are not regarded as employees and do not fit well into the category of independent contractors, which means limited safeguards against possible abuse and financial instability. In summary, many gig workers are likely to be in a precarious working position, which is uncertain and unpredictable of work. The insecurity is mostly due to the difficulty to foresee how much can be done on a given day in the giant economy and to rising competitiveness.
Reflecting on the issues identified in the media article and relevant readings, what actions do you think managers or policy makers should take to resolve them? (max 200 word):
All gig employees have fundamental psychological requirements to be satisfied to achieve a high level of performance. Typically, these demands are supplied by a manager, who works to boost the performance of the team. In the process of moving into projects and out of projects, project managers who are partnering with gig workers also need to focus on the paperwork and the communication. Since these individuals are not actual employees, the direct supervision and motivation of these non-traditional employees using a standard performance management technique are problematic. Furthermore, the manager should assess and evaluate what functions are best performed with gig workers. Once these responsibilities are agreed upon, the manager should consider building a relationship that may find the right talent for the company. The manager may indeed employ the gig worker inside to benefit the company, offering optional tough assignments for additional incentive pay for business goals. Leaders who rely on the talent pool of gigs must continually “monitor and proactively meet the pulse” of their alternate workforce. This might generate motivation for individuals to go outside their job description and tackle long-term problems in a business.
Media Article Three
Topic No.: 8
Gerstel, N and Clawson, D (2014) ‘Rebranding Flexibility’, The Huffington Post, 26 November, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/naomi-gerstel/rebranding-flexibility_b_6225472.html?1417015454
Title of Media Article:
What are the key ideas presented in the media article as they relate to concepts of work and employment raised in course readings? (max 200 word):
Technological advancement is motivated by the growth of production forces, and vice versa. There are real future advantages in relation to the types of products and services available as facilitated by technological changes, which subsequently render a vast array of societal consequences. Along with these technological changes comes a shift in the workforce, which has become more ‘flexible’ as ever. As the world has become more and more progressive, many activists have finally succeeded in promoting flexible workplace policies that give workers more freedom. Employers have adopted the term “flexibility” but then rebranded it with a new meaning that conceals a trend towards more unpredictable work schedules (Gerstel and Clawson, 2015). One union representative has loosely defined the term ‘flexibility’ as the worker’s ability to do whatever he or she wants at work. Despite the fact that ‘flexible” work policites give employees more opportunities to work at the own pace, in their own way, such flexibility is responsible for the chaotic schedules of employees, resulting in erratic work hours as the workforce becomes even more precarious.
What are the benefits and/or challenges workers confront in the article, and how does this connect with the course readings? (max 200 words):
Flexibility instils a sense of autonomy among workers, providing them with a desirable level of independence and so they can exert control over their employment, and can greatly reduce conflicts between the demands of paid employment. However, one of the greatest challenges workers usually confront is that workplace flexibility plays a huge part in the restructuring of the working hours and, thereby, increasing scheduling burdens (Gerstel and Clawson, 2015). Instead of giving employees more control over our work and personal lives, the term “flexibility” now demands employees to come in only whenever their services are needed or when the manager wants them and are sent away when they are no longer needed. As issues regarding erratic working hours are slowly become increasingly prevalent due to flexibility practices, so much so that legal battles over scheduling practises and break times are becoming more common (Gerstel and Clawson, 2015).
Reflecting on the issues identified in the media article and relevant readings, what actions do you think managers or policy makers should take to resolve them? (max 200 word):
Managers should take charge of flexible working arrangements by giving employees more freedom in requesting flexible work hours. This would allow them to work freely at their own pace, which would further enhance their sense of self-entrepreneurship in a way that helps them make sense of their work as well as their social life. If managers can de-emphasize the significance attached to paid work and impart this to their staff members, these members will be able to invest more energy in activities that are not solely related to their employability. Regarding the scheduling problems, employees should be required to provide advance notice concerning their schedules to minimize abandoned work shifts and erratic working hours. Moreover, in order to lessen scheduling burdens, employees should act in an encouraging way by relying on other staff members to help them solve critical scheduling issues, such as switching shifts and covering for each other during a time of crisis (Gerstel and Clawson, 2015). Therefore, the managers’ role in the segregation of duties is essential in increasing work productivity and efficiency while also maintaining flexibility.
Topic No.: 6
Title of Media Article:
Gerstel, N and Clawson, D (2014) ‘Rebranding Flexibility’, The Huffington Post, 26 November, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/naomi-gerstel/rebranding-flexibility_b_6225472.html?1417015454.
What are the key ideas presented in the media article as they relate to concepts of work and employment raised in course readings? (max 200 word):
The article aims to deeply analyze the reason for the growth of “flexible work” and challenges for the sociology of work, workers and the workplace in the US. Whereas a generation of family-work activists has succeeded in promoting policies that provide better options for women and men. The “flexible work” means that employees often have to enter wherever the employer wants them and might be sent back to their homes if the demand is low. The manager has adopted the word “flexible work” but they have revamped its significance. This repositioning marks the transition towards a more unpredictable work schedule. And that is at a time when the resources to cope with unpredictability have been reduced for families, increasingly single moms and dual workers. Earning disparities and other indications on the performance of the labour market among persons with varying levels of education are also expanding. The irony is that over time there are so many American workers who want to work. This research shows that minimum wage earners opt for shifts, not just because they require the money. Work offers something of endurance in an economy where meagre salary and unpredictable hours often stress the home more than the workplace. Depending on employers’ relative strength and employee character, the level of precarity within businesses in the United States varies with the nature of their social and psychological agreements.
What are the benefits and/or challenges workers confront in the article, and how does this connect with the course readings? (max 200 words):
The growth of “flexible work” has attracted significant attention in current times. This expansion may be established where corporations are maintaining the “flexible worker” with fewer wages, less security, poor benefits and restricted career growth prospects (Russell, O’Connell & McGinnity 2009). Furthermore, the employees are relying on each other to take charge of major planning issues switching shifts in emergencies. In some organizations the study examined were employees looking for coworkers to help in off work when for a weekend or care for a sick parent (Yang 2020). Although this camaraderie can be reassuring, it requires flexibility among employees. These adjustments, like today’s economy, were improvised and uncertain. Although the employer or the working force with the hope of achieving higher current or future earnings, risks and conflicts of time inevitably start to arise at some point, which affects not only the quality of work-life but also work performance. Moreover, the company’s productivity and labour costs may be indirectly influenced in many ways, from a longer time horizon and a broader perspective in “flexible work”. Finally, the perceived insecurity of precarious employees is increased, which is linked to decreased job satisfaction, psychic wellbeing, and outside working life satisfaction.
Reflecting on the issues identified in the media article and relevant readings, what actions do you think managers or policy makers should take to resolve them? (max 200 word):
The report further explicitly underlines that labour policy should aim to safeguard the weaker employee’s relationship in “flexible work”. Furthermore, the report calls on governments to consider the effectiveness of protection for employees, especially those affected by the uncertainty over the existence of an employment connection, including women employees, young employees, the elderly, informal employees, migrant employees and disabled employees. The manager needs to organize and satisfy the demands of the expanding precarious employees, the new organizing model has had to be revitalized, new techniques, new ideas have to be used to sustain employee strength (Sheridan & Conway 2017). The manager also sought by adopting the techniques to control the use of non-standard work and prevent the spread of low-paid contracts. Moreover, the policymakers launched initiatives to recruit vulnerable employees and negotiate better salaries and working conditions on their behalf (Kossek, Thompson & Lautsch, 2019). Thus, they have to take in building solidarity amongst regular workers for precarious workers, international framework agreements and monitoring mechanisms, government rules and regulations to prevent abuse of temporary, part-time and dubious contractual arrangements.
Media Article Four
Topic No.: 9
Winthrop, R & McGivney, E 2016, ‘Skills for a Changing World: Advancing Quality Learning for Vibrant Societies’, Brookings, viewed May 17th 2021, <https://www.brookings.edu/research/skills-for-a-changing-world/>
Title of Media Article:
What are the key ideas presented in the media article as they relate to concepts of work and employment raised in course readings? (max 200 word):
This article emphasizes the importance for the young generation to adapt and flourish in an ever-changing world. In order to adjust to a modern environment, children of this day and age require skill and knowledge and are fully prepared for the development of technology, working characteristics, and globalization (Winthrop & McGivney 2016). With the purpose of being an effective adult of the community that are vastly different from how they were previously, a child is expected to learn a great deal of knowledge, which is taught in a generalized curriculum emphasizing subjects such as literacy, numeracy, arts, and sciences. Furthermore, our economies’ modern demands involve the development of a varied range of skills, including material awareness of academic themes, information literacy, flexibility, and problem-solving abilities. Additionally, soft skills required in a group environment are also critical such as team work or networking, higher-order thought, and dependability. These technical and soft skills will help people take advantage of the opportunities in the modern environment.
What are the benefits and/or challenges workers confront in the article, and how does this connect with the course readings? (max 200 words):
It is highlighted that along with the world’s tendency to change, the labour market is placing increasing demands and requirements from modern workers. The development of technology as well as the way working changes bring employees either risks or possibilities, which future they have will depend on their abilities to adapt (Shoss 2017). To further explain, people who lack the necessary skills and knowledge are likely to face the threats of being laid off. Conversely, employees who know how to make use of the opportunities created by technology such as more job markets being opened and apply their skills effectively are expected to succeed in the future. For a business to attain success, companies will focus on recruiting workers who have a combination of fundamental technology knowledge and the willingness to learn, which requires workers to be intellectual by obtaining and cultivating a wide range of abilities through education and experiences. People who are aware of the necessary quality and willingly acquire them will have more advantages compared to others as mentioned in other reports in the reading list
Reflecting on the issues identified in the media article and relevant readings, what actions do you think managers or policy makers should take to resolve them? (max 200 word):
To alleviate this issue, it is critical for the government to assist workers in finding greater opportunities. However, it is a joint effort that needs to be made by all factors. While new policies should be implemented to help existing businesses and build an empowering environment for diversifying industries , workers need to understand their responsibility to enhance their skill and knowledge to make themselves stand out among thousands of applicants. Setting this goal requires the education system to prioritize not only education but also lifelong learning, which focus on personal development and individuality. This new schooling system includes compulsory subjects as mentioned above such as literacy, numeracy, along with competencies, global citizenship, and entrepreneurship, etc. The ever-changing world also calls for the collaboration between authorities and business organizations with the purpose of developing creative workforce strategies, providing employees with broader exposure to jobs within the company, or making more efforts to promote diversity in the workplace.
