Zero-hour contracts and stress in UK domiciliary care workers

Abstract

The UK domiciliary care workers play a vital role in maintaining and improving the lives of service users who have a variety of needs. Around 60% of these employees work under zero-hours contracts but, while it is known that conditions such as temporary and shift working can influence employee health and performance, zero-hours have not been widely investigated. This project sought to first investigate the stress associated with working as a domiciliary care worker, as well as comparing the experiences of employees contracted to zero-hours with those contracted to at least 16 hr per week. Twenty-nine semistructured interviews (15 zero-hour, 14 contracted hours) were conducted in the West Midlands of the United Kingdom and analysed using thematic analysis. Across all participants, four predominant stressors were found. First, the level of pay for a job with high levels of responsibility was poor. Second, participants described struggling to maintain an adequate work-life balance due to the varied timings of visits, as well as rude and aggressive behaviour from both service users and their families. Lastly, a lack of peer support and poor care from peers was discussed. However, every respondent described the positive relationships that they develop with service users being a distinct stress reliever. Zero-hours respondents discussed two further stressors. Power refers to the relationship between employee and management, with respondents describing the balance of power being with the management. Uncertainty reflected respondents not having set hours of work or pay, and thus not being able to plan their personal lives and sometimes not being able to pay bills. Findings suggest that domiciliary care workers are exposed to a range of stressors, with zero-hours adding to these. Further research should look into methods to improve both the job role for workers, and redress the power relationships for those with zero-hours contracts.

An Investigation on the Widespread Use of Zero Hours Contracts in the UK and the Impact on Workers

“…Workers also reported having experienced health related problems such as anxiety and stress which are aspects of mental health. Although these health-related issues could not be clinically proven as caused by ZHC, the findings support research by Ravalier et al [40] done in the care sector which found out that a greater proportion of care/support workers had worse mental health issues working on ZHC than those who had permanent contracts. However, workers experience different levels of stress and anxiety depending on the sector they work in.…”

“…ZHCs pay significantly lower wage rates, approximately one-third lower than the average hourly wage among non-ZHC workers [30]. Ravalier et al [40] pointed out that ZHC has adverse effect on worker's job motivation [22], stress and influences worker's well-being. Ball et al [7] considered the extent to which agency workers and zero hours contracts were used in the UK and worker's vulnerability as a result of the Sports Direct zero-hour contract worker's abuse scandal.…”

Migrant Home Care Workers in the UK: a Scoping Review of Outcomes and Sustainability and Implications in the Context of Brexit

“…-Insecure and precarious employment practices: Nearly half of the home care workforce in England are on a zero-hour contract, highest rate within the social care sector. Zero-hour contracts are a source of additional stress for home care workers (Ravalier et al, 2019). -Highest vacancy and turnover rates within the sector.…”

Establishing the impact of COVID-19 on the health outcomes of domiciliary care workers in Wales using routine data: a protocol for the OSCAR study.

“…Subsequent analyses focusing upon workers in social care present a mixed picture of the impact upon domiciliary care workers in the UK, probably due to differences in methodological approach. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, employment conditions such as zero-hours working and delivery context have received some attention in terms of domiciliary carer mental well-being [ 1 , 44 ]. Despite empirical occupational health research linking generic working demands (e.g.…”