What is Labour Market Flexibility and how does it work?


The ability to adapt to changes in the labor market is an essential element of the labor market. It enables businesses to make specific choices about altering their work force in response to market changes and to assist in the expansion of their manufacturing operations.

Depending on variables such as employee hiring and firing, pay and benefits, as well as working hours and conditions, organizations may make adjustments to their labor pool. As a result of regulations and policies designed to safeguard workers and the labor pool, businesses do not have complete freedom to adopt a flexible labor market.

Key Points Briefly

  • Labor market flexibility enables businesses to make choices regarding their labor force in reaction to changes in the market and to contribute to the expansion of output.

  • Companies may make adjustments in areas such as employee hiring and firing, pay and benefits, as well as working hours and conditions, thanks to the availability of flexible labor markets.

  • Employers are prohibited from making modifications at their discretion under applicable laws and regulations.

  • Labor unions, skills and training, minimum wage limitations, and job information are all variables that influence labor market flexibility, as well as other aspects.

How does Labor Market Flexibility work?

In the labor market, flexibility refers to the speed with which a company may react to changing market circumstances by making changes to its personnel composition. Employers may make adjustments in response to supply and demand problems, the economic cycle, and other market circumstances because of a flexible labor market.

However, a genuinely flexible labor market can only exist when there are minimal rules governing the work force as a whole. When this occurs, employers have the authority to determine pay, dismiss workers, and alter employee work hours at their discretion.

Labor markets that are less flexible are subject to a greater number of rules and regulations, which may include minimum pay, limitations on dismissal, and other laws affecting employment contracts. In these economies, labor unions often have significant influence.

Skills and training for workers, occupational mobility, minimum salaries, part-time and temporary employment opportunities, and job-related information that businesses make accessible to their employees are just a few of the additional variables that influence labor market flexibility.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Labor Market Flexibility

Because of the unexpected effects of tight labor market limitations, proponents of greater labor market flexibility believe that it leads to lower unemployment rates and higher gross domestic product (GDP).

Companies are often concerned when recruiting full-time employees as they are worried about the later stages. Many organizations fear that employees might be difficult to remove from jobs or demand hefty compensation on unfair treatment allegation. This reason may prompt employers to prefer for contract workers.

Despite having many supporters for market flexibility, several analysts believe that it eventually puts all the power in the hands of the employers. This has resulted in improper workforce with lack of rules and management ethics. It has also been seen that such workers were exploited further.

In some extreme cases it has also been observed that management and owners have not taken the responsibility of injuries or accidents at work creating uncertain and nervous atmosphere for their workers.

Updated on: 28-Jul-2021

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