Workforce nationality composition and workplace flexibility in Britain

Abstract

Purpose-This paper, with an organisational focus, offers a novel examination of the association between workforce nationality composition and workplace flexibility practices (WFPs), an under-researched topic with high potential benefits at microeconomic and macroeconomic level. Design/methodology/approach-British data is used, as the United Kingdom (UK) has experienced significant immigrant flows and has a relatively high level of labour market flexibility. The Workplace Employee Relations Survey (WERS) 2011, sampling 2,500 British workplaces, offers for the first time data on workforce nationality. Via zero-inflated regressions, the number of non-UK nationals employed in a workplace is assessed against a wide range of numerical, functional and cost WFPs. Findings-There are significant links between WFPs and the employment of non-UK nationals, and these are distinct for non-UK nationals from the European Economic Area (EEA) when compared to non-UK nationals from outside the EEA. The former are more likely to be in 'good' employment, with job security, working from home, job autonomy and training. Yet, both types of non-UK nationals are more likely to be employed in workplaces making high use of causal contracts. The implications of these results are discussed. Originality/value-The paper addresses the need to research migration from a relatively new perspective of WFPs while also taking into account the diversity of non-UK nationals. The topic is of importance to organisations, as well as to labour market and migration policymakers. Timely results are of value in view of heightened interest in migration.

Labour market flexibility and spatial mobility

“…Regarding determinants of occupational mobility, this issue suggests that business cycle (Roosaar et al, 2014), numerical flexibility (Malk, 2014) and occupational categories (Neubecker, 2014;Roosaar et al, 2014) as well as sector (Roosaar et al, 2014) have an effect. Spatial mobility may have counterintuitive effects on individual occupational mobility depending on gender (Arbel et al, 2014;Masso et al, 2014) and explains various flexibilities at a firm level (Whyman and Petrescu, 2014). Finally, it is also demonstrated that different types of labour market flexibilities are inherently linked to each other (Ruiz, 2014;Whyman and Petrescu, 2014).…”

“…Spatial mobility may have counterintuitive effects on individual occupational mobility depending on gender (Arbel et al, 2014;Masso et al, 2014) and explains various flexibilities at a firm level (Whyman and Petrescu, 2014). Finally, it is also demonstrated that different types of labour market flexibilities are inherently linked to each other (Ruiz, 2014;Whyman and Petrescu, 2014).…”