Since last year, Quebec has been creating more part-time positions than it has full-time ones. A growing phenomenon that requires companies to adapt and better manage their human resources.
Last August, Quebec’s part-time sector has created over 5,800 jobs, while more than 1,000 full-time jobs have disappeared.
Having a part-time workforce is an asset for a company, because it allows it to be flexible in terms of organization and requirements, and is better able to adjust its labour according to its needs. In addition, part-time workers are often better motivated because they are less stressed. But this organizational choice also has major drawbacks.
“The administrative costs are higher because there are more records and payroll that need managing,” says Emilie Genin, assistant professor at the School of Industrial Relations at the University of Montreal.
Harder Teamwork
Organizing a greater number of hours is also more complicated. The sporadic presence of part-timers makes it difficult for employees to interact amongst themselves, communications become less frequent, which in turn complicates collaboration between people.
To overcome these problems, companies will have to develop tools and specific work practices.
“Instead of creating schedules by hand, on paper, you can use software that address everyone’s time contingencies,” says Yves Boulet, CHRA and management consultant.
Even Facebook can be put to use!
“A supermarket chain has set up a Facebook account to enable its employees, mostly young and part-time workers, to exchange shifts amongst themselves,” says Genin. “Thus, the manager’s sole responsibility is to accept these requested changes.”
To maintain the commitment of part-time employees within the company, the ideal solution is that managers communicate regularly by phone or email with them. With this in mind, it is crucial to give workers full access to e-mails at home.
“We must communicate with others the schedules of part-time employees in order to predict their interactions through specific programs, such as a weekly team meetings where everybody is present,” advises Boulet, who is also President of Axxio, a consulting firm in human resources.
Managing Tensions
Genin sees an emerging job polarization between, on the one hand, qualified employees in full-time positions with benefits, and, on the other hand, low-skilled part-time staff. Such differences cause tensions within the company, tensions that managers must learn to control.
The increase in part-time jobs can also cause companies to face the issue of duplication. Some job applicants could already be employed as part-timers at another company.
“Flexible employment is a growing trend in the world. Companies will therefore have to pay more attention to the issue of double bookings,” says Boulet. “It is important to establish proper guidelines that include clauses about internal policies.”