https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/1455 2026-07-22T03:48:22Z 2026-07-22T03:48:22Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148129 2026-07-20T08:57:17Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Beyond perks : exploring strategic HR approaches to engagement and retention in Malta’s post-COVID iGaming workforce Abstract: The iGaming industry has become a cornerstone of Malta’s economy, contributing 7.1% to national Gross Value Added (GVA) and employing over 13,000 people (Malta Gaming Authority [MGA], 2024a). However, rapid growth, a saturated labour market, and growing global competition have created significant challenges for talent engagement and retention. This study examines the Human Resources (HR) strategies implemented by iGaming companies based in Malta to address these challenges, exploring their effectiveness, the influence of external pressures, and the shifts in employee expectations following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Using a qualitative, exploratory approach, eight in-depth interviews were conducted with HR leaders and C-level executives across the sector. Using Braun and Clarke’s Thematic Analysis Framework (2006), the findings are interpreted through Social Exchange Theory (SET), Self-Determination Theory (SDT), and the Job DemandsResources (JD-R) model, revealing four core themes: external pressures (regulatory, market saturation, and rising cost of living and living conditions), work-life balance and well-being, changing employee priorities post-pandemic, and career development. The findings highlight that while financial incentives remain essential, they are no longer sufficient to secure long-term loyalty. Instead, sustainable retention increasingly depends on fostering autonomy, professional growth, and inclusive organisational cultures as engagement and retention drivers. Notable risks include salary inflation, rapid promotions without adequate skills, and talent loss to competitors including unregulated operators offering higher pay but less stability. By applying established engagement and retention theories within the unique socioeconomic and regulatory context of Malta’s multicultural, high-mobility iGaming workforce, this research addresses a gap in literature on these topics. The findings provide practical recommendations for HR professionals and policymakers in similar fast-paced, skill-intensive industries and contribute to the theoretical understanding of engagement and retention under conditions of high competition and external volatility. Description: B. WHR(Hons)(Melit.)

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z Grech, Louis Fiorini, Luke Anthony https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/147598 2026-06-22T10:50:02Z 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Working life country profile : Malta Authors: Grech, Louis; Fiorini, Luke Anthony Abstract: This chapter provides a comprehensive, multi-dimensional analysis of Malta’s evolving employment ecosystem and working life, tracking a decade of unprecedented macroeconomic expansion and institutional adaptation. Between 2012 and 2022, Malta experienced remarkable economic growth, marked by a 43.31% increase in GDP per capita, an employment rate climbing to 80%, and a dramatic 24-percentage-point surge in female labor market participation. Against this backdrop of rapid expansion and an influx of foreign labor, this study examines the structural mechanics of Malta’s decentralized industrial relations framework, governed by the Employment and Industrial Relations Act (EIRA) 2002. While trade union membership grew in absolute terms, union density experienced a 16% decline, highlighting a widening gap in private-sector collective bargaining coverage, which remains heavily reliant on company-level negotiations. The chapter evaluates the critical role of social dialogue and tripartite coordination through the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development (MCESD), demonstrating how these institutional mechanisms successfully navigated the shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the analysis delves into statutory employee entitlements, dispute resolution systems, and the shifting paradigms of workplace well-being. It highlights a significant transition from traditional physical occupational health and safety concerns to the mitigation of modern psychosocial risks, as well as institutional initiatives aimed at closing the gender pay gap and correcting persistent skill mismatches. Ultimately, this chapter contextualizes Malta’s labour trajectory within broader European trends, offering critical insights into how a small island state balances flexible economic growth with robust institutional protections.

2024-01-01T00:00:00Z Fiorini, Luke Anthony https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/147586 2026-06-22T09:18:45Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Malta : developments in working life 2024 Authors: Fiorini, Luke Anthony Abstract: This report examines the shifting landscape of Maltese employment, industrial relations, and working conditions throughout 2024. The major findings highlight the country's strategic responses to macroeconomic pressures, detailing how the government and social partners utilised national social dialogue institutions to manage high inflation through updated Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA) and targeted fiscal interventions. Furthermore, the paper tracks pivotal developments in collective bargaining structures, documents regional industrial action and labour disputes, and analyses evolving legislative frameworks regarding flexible working arrangements and working time regulations aimed at addressing work–life balance demands.

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z Balakrishnar, Kishana Long, Bao-Zhu Stephanie Lo, Joyce Fiorini, Luke Anthony Gohar, Basem Nowrouzi-Kia, Behdin https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/146706 2026-05-22T09:14:12Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Assessing the antecedents behind after-hours work in teleworkers: a scoping review Authors: Balakrishnar, Kishana; Long, Bao-Zhu Stephanie; Lo, Joyce; Fiorini, Luke Anthony; Gohar, Basem; Nowrouzi-Kia, Behdin Abstract: Background: Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, telework arrangements have become increasingly prevalent, driven by benefits such as greater autonomy, reduced work-related stress, decreased commuting time and cost, and enhanced flexibility. Despite these advantages, teleworkers are more likely to engage in after-hours work, creating additional strain that may impact health and organizational outcomes.; Methods: A systematic search was conducted across seven online databases: Medline via OVID, Embase via OVID, APA PsycINFO via OVID, International Bibliography of Social Sciences via ProQuest, Sociological Abstracts via ProQuest, Business Source Premier via EBSCOhost, and CINAHL via EBSCOhost. Studies were included if they were empirical, peer-reviewed, published between 2010 and 2024, examined the antecedents of after-hours work, and focused on adults aged 18 to 65 engaged in telework. Descriptive thematic analysis was conducted to develop themes and sub-themes.; Results: Findings: A total of 17 studies were included in the review: 13 cross-sectional studies, three qualitative studies, and one longitudinal study. Using the Person–Environment–Occupation framework, three overarching themes were identified: (i) misalignment between personal capacities and occupational demands; (ii) environmental constraints that undermine healthy role balance; and (iii) occupational role strain in the context of remote work.; Conclusions: These findings may help to inform the development of targeted interventions that reduce cases of after-hours work among teleworkers and promote their overall health and well-being. Future research should examine these antecedents in non-Western contexts and explore the interplay between the individual, environmental, and occupational factors shaping after-hours work behaviors

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z