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Stuart Gentle Publisher at Onrec

Glassdoor comments on Zero Hours Contracts going up by 100,000

As today’s figures released by the ONS indicate that the number of people working on zero hours contracts has risen from 697,000 to 801,000 (representing 2.5% of the working population), Jon Ingham, Glassdoor’s Career and Workplace Expert comments:

“The most common reason that unemployed people turn down zero hours contracts is the need for a guaranteed level of income to make this a viable alternative to receiving unemployment benefit. The perception is that these contracts favour the employers over the employees.

“With 38% of 16-24 year olds on zero hours contracts, it means there is now a significant proportion of the young workforce without guaranteed incomes. This ‘pay as you go’ employment causes issues and judging by the comments on Glassdoor, this is not a preferred choice of employment in the long term.

“Research1 from Glassdoor reveals that one in four unemployed adults has been offered one of these contracts and almost half has turned them down. For some it might be beneficial to have the flexibility to fit around their lifestyle but for others it’s a contract which offers little in the way of job security.”

Glassdoor research, which was carried out amongst over 1,000 unemployed adults, revealed the main reasons almost half of those offered zero hours contracts reject them:

  • The need to receive a guaranteed level of income in order to stop receiving benefits (54 percent)
  • Lack of trust towards employers offering this type of contract (44 percent)
  • People are also unhappy with the irregular working hours these contract offer (30 percent)
  • Applicants being put off by the negative press coverage about them (13 percent).

In addition:

  • 45 percent of unemployed people surveyed feel that these contracts are exploitative and 39 percent would like to see them abolished.
  • More than one in three (34 percent) feel these contracts are only beneficial for employers.

For more - https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/blog/unemployed-people-hours-contracts/

If you are offered a zero hours contract, look on Glassdoor to find out what it’s like work within the organisation, including compensation, and if that company is a good fit for you.

1.      The survey of 1,001 unemployed adults was conducted online by Opinion Matters on behalf of Glassdoor from 8 -14 May, 2015. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact pr@glassdoor.com.