An analysis of the local perception regarding atypical employment practices and their consequence on the Maltese labour market

Abstract

The majority of people endeavors and aspires to find their dream employment opportunity. Many of us continue with our studies well over the compulsory years to find a stable job which will help make our lives more comfortable. What constitutes a “stable job”? Does the Maltese labour market have a particular preference when it comes to job hunting? Are the employment values which the Maltese hold dear to them up-to-date with today’s requirements in the labour market? Or are these preferences making them less competitive and are causing problems to employers? Employment trends are ever changing as time goes by. Starting with the Industrial Revolution which started in the 18th century and saw the beginnings of the labour market as we know of today, to today’s employment industry, which is aimed at accommodating the different needs of the employee of today. Today’s jobs call for more flexibility, yet with harsher competition, jobs today strongly focus on performance and efficiency. Hence, new forms of employment contracts are being formed and introduced to the labour market. The aim of this research is to investigate these new forms of employment which are becoming more and more common in the Maltese economy by determining why such forms of employment are becoming more popular, the trends in other countries especially in the European Union, and whether the increase of such forms of employment leave a positive or negative affect on the country’s economy. In order to fully investigate the local perspective on these new forms of employment, quantitative research was performed on a sample which replicates all of the attributes of the Maltese labour market. The employer’s perspective was also investigated by conducting structured interviews with the leading Maltese employers’ organisations. The outcome of this research highlights the emotions conveyed by the Maltese labour market vis a vis these employment contracts, with special focus on the different working conditions offered by these contracts in contrast to the classic indefinite contract. This research shall also take a step further and investigate how these opinions will affect the recruitment process of local companies when employing new staff to work with them in an atypical manner.