The Use of Temporary Employees in Health Care Institutions
The use of temporary employees in health care institutions has increased in the recent past. Most of the current organizations prefer to hire different health care providers on contract basis or work as part-time employees in an effort to cut on their salary and wages budgets because they attract low salaries (Harmon and Behson 2007, p. 109-24). This move may be beneficial for a short time to the organizations but in the long-run, it has been observed to result in low levels of engagement among employees following the uncertainty and insecurity in their work. In addition, such work precarious tends to result in work related stress and burnout due to poor working conditions and overworking.
Short-Term Employment in Health Care Institutions
Short term employment such as working on contract basis or working as a temporary worker, is strongly associated with unscheduled turnover within healthcare institutions, low morale among health care providers, and low productivity as a result of low level of healthcare providers engagement. Also, short-term employment affects the productivity of health services providers within different health facilities and institutions because a lot of time and effort is spared for new employees because their turnover is high (Harmon and Behson 2007, p. 109-24).
Effects of Temporary Employment
Employees working on temporary basis tend to receive less financial packages including salary and wages, social security and pension coverage. Such arrangements increase the feeling of divided allegiance among employees working on temporary basis and hence reduces both their commitment level and productivity (Harmon and Behson 2007, p. 109-24). Precarious employment is associated with deterioration in the safety and health of employee as a result of increased cases of burnout and high stress levels. Such health related conditions reduce employees' performance and engagement levels.
References
Harmon, J. and S.J. Behson. 2007. “Links among High-Performance Work Environment, Service Quality, and Customer Satisfaction: An Extension to the Healthcare Sector.” Journal of Healthcare Management vol.52, pp. 109–24.
