The Effects of National Institutions and Collective Bargaining Arrangements on Job Quality in Front-Line Service Workplaces

Doellgast, Virginia; Holtgrewe, Ursula; Deery, Stephen

doi:10.1177/001979390906200402

Cited by 59 publications

(72 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…Consequently, bargaining coverage is low (16 per cent in Germany, 19 percent in Denmark). Coverage of inhouse call centres is remarkably higher in both countries (46 percent in Germany, 59 percent in Denmark) (Doellgast et al, 2009). Very few agree ments have been negotiated with large subcontractors.…”

Section: Industrial Relations In Call Centresmentioning

confidence: 98%

Pay and Working Conditions in Finance and Utility Call Centres in Denmark and Germany

Sørensen

Weinkopf

2009

European Journal of Industrial Relations

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■ This study analyses how national institutions, sectoral bargaining structures and union strategies affect working conditions and pay by comparing call centres in two liberalized service sectors: financial services and utilities. We find more segmentation and expansion of low wage work in Germany and more cooperation on high-involvement practices at workplace level in Denmark. However, outcomes are not uniform; we find differences between sectors in the use of subcontracting and union power at the workplace-level. Poor economic performance, segmentation-oriented employer strategies, declining bargaining coverage and weakened unions in Germany have undermined formal constraints on employers, whereas better outcomes in Denmark are due to a pronounced stability of the regulative and normative institutional framework. However, the Danish model is also being weakened from the margins.

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Section: Industrial Relations In Call Centresmentioning

confidence: 98%

Pay and Working Conditions in Finance and Utility Call Centres in Denmark and Germany

Sørensen

Weinkopf

2009

European Journal of Industrial Relations

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“…Sometimes higher-level influences act as a constraining force, or an enabling force, on factors at lower levels because they don't fit with each other. For instance, managers seeking to implement Tayloristic work designs in social democratic or continental regimes may find it difficult to 'escape' from what they perceived to be institutional 'constraints' on the implementation of HR practices and work design (Doellgast, et al, 2009) and the negotiation of i-deals is hampered by highly structured work but facilitated when employees work in smaller teams (Hornung et al, 2008). Multi-level influences also sometimes trade off against one another.…”

Section: Future Directionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Work Design Influences: A Synthesis of Multilevel Factors that Affect the Design of Jobs

Parker

Broeck

Holman

2017

ANNALS

163

154

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High quality work design is a key determinant of employee well-being, positive work attitudes, and job/organizational performance. Yet many job incumbents continue to experience deskilled and demotivating work. We argue that there is a need to understand better where work designs come from. We review research that investigates the factors that influence work design, noting that this research is only a small fragment of the work design literature. The research base is also rather disparate, spanning distinct theoretical perspectives according to the level of analysis. To help integrate this literature, we use a framework that summarizes the direct and indirect ways in which work design is shaped by the higher-level external context (global/ international, national and occupational factors), the organizational context, the local work context (work group factors), and individual factors. We highlight two key indirect effects: first, factors affect formal decisionmaking processes via influencing managers' work design-related motivation, knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs), and opportunities; and second, factors shape informal and emergent work design processes via influencing employees' work design-related motivation, KSAs and opportunities. By reviewing the literature according to this framework, we set the stage for more comprehensive theoretical development and empirical studies on the factors that influence work design. 3Work Design Influences A Synthesis of Multi-Level Factors that Affect The Design of WorkWork design refers to "the content and organization of one's work tasks, activities, relationships, and responsibilities" (Parker, 2014, p. 662). When work is designed so that it has motivating characteristics like job autonomy and social support, as well as reasonable levels of job demands, multiple positive individual and organizational outcomes arise. A vast amount of research shows that work design affects work stress, job satisfaction, performance, absenteeism, accidents, team innovation, company financial revenue, and more (e.g. see the meta analysis by Humphrey, Nahrgang, & Morgeson, 2007).Yet, despite extensive evidence about the benefits of well-designed work, there are still many poorly designed jobs in both advanced and developing economies. For example, in Europe, Lorenz and Valeyre (2005) reported that one third of workers had jobs that were deskilled or that involved excessive demands. Significant technological and societal change is also affecting work and organizing, yet we know little about how this change might affect people's work design (Parker, 2014). Both of these forces -the continued prevalence of poor quality work designs and the vast change occurring in work -highlight the importance of having a comprehensive, evidence-based understanding of the forces that affect work design.Such an understanding is currently lacking. In most theory and research pertaining to the design of jobs, work design is modeled at the start of a causal chain leading to outcomes via intermediary pr...

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“…However, their bargaining power and independence from management may rely on coordination with unions (Doellgast et al, 2009). In this regard, Germany stands out, with only 22 percent of call centres having both workplace representatives and unions compared to 40 percent or more in the other countries.…”

Section: Industrial Relations Systems and Minimum Wage Lawsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Introduction: Institutional Change and Labour Market Segmentation in European Call Centres

Doellgast

Batt

Sørensen

2009

European Journal of Industrial Relations

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■ This article examines the dynamics of workplace change in European call centres. Survey data and case studies and Spain show large national and sectoral differences in institutional inclusiveness and labour market segmentation. These reflect variation in the institutional constraints and resources available to employers and unions as they adjust to market changes. However, union strategies to organize new groups and close gaps in existing regulations are becoming increasingly important as restructuring undermines traditional forms of bargaining power.

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The Effects of National Institutions and Collective Bargaining Arrangements on Job Quality in Front-Line Service Workplaces

Cited by 59 publications

References 33 publications

Pay and Working Conditions in Finance and Utility Call Centres in Denmark and Germany

Pay and Working Conditions in Finance and Utility Call Centres in Denmark and Germany

Work Design Influences: A Synthesis of Multilevel Factors that Affect the Design of Jobs

Introduction: Institutional Change and Labour Market Segmentation in European Call Centres

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