The Impact of Job Satisfaction and Work Motivation on Job Loyalty in Outsourcing Employees

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Share a lesson you wish you had learned earlier in life.

Deanysa Buggy Asih1, Yudit Oktaria Kristiani Pardede2

Gunadarma University, Faculty of Psychology, Jl. TB Simatupang Pasar Minggu, Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia

Photo by Thirdman on Pexels.com

ABSTRACT

Employees who work in a company are expected to know well the core values, culture and goals of the organization, so that employees can get to know the company where they work well. However, outsourcing employees who basically come from service providers outside the company do not know about this. Therefore it is difficult for outsourcing employees to grow their work loyalty to the company where they work. Meanwhile, loyal employees are related to the goals, objectives, culture and values ​​of the organization. Employee loyalty can go up and down, one of which is due to job satisfaction factors. Job satisfaction felt by employees can increase employee work loyalty. Therefore, we need a motivator in the form of meeting physical and non-physical needs. This need is an encouragement or motivation for employees to work in a company. This study aims to determine the effect of job satisfaction and work motivation on work loyalty of outsourcing employees. This study uses a quantitative approach with research participants totaling 100 outsourcing employees obtained through sampling techniques. The analysis method used is simple and multiple regression. Based on the data analysis that has been done, it is known that there is an effect of job satisfaction on work loyalty of outsourcing employees by 54.3%, there is an effect of work motivation on work loyalty of outsourcing employees by 47.1% and there is an effect of job satisfaction and work motivation which together affect work loyalty of outsourcing employees by 25.7%, the remaining is influenced by other factors outside the research.

Keywords: Job Satisfaction, Work Motivation, Work Loyalty, Outsourcing

INTRODUCTION

Every individual wants to do a good job and make an important contribution to the organization or company where they work. According to Elmuti., Grunewald., & Abebe (2010) most companies believe that to compete globally, they must look at the efficiency of Human Resources (HR) and control costs rather than just relying on increasing revenue. According to Wahyuningtyas & Utami (2018) in order for HR and cost control to be efficient, of course the company must concentrate on a series of processes or activities to create products and services related to its core competencies. With the concentration on the company’s core competencies, a number of products and services will be produced that have quality and competitiveness in the market in order to compete in the business world.

Products and services that have quality will certainly be able to compete globally to improve their competitive position in the increasingly global market. Companies can save costs and maintain quality by relying more on external service providers for activities that are seen as complementary to their core business. This is related to outsourcing which functions as a partnership to improve the company’s business (Elmuti., Grunewald., & Abebe, 2010).

One of the complementary activities to improve the company’s business is recruitment. Every prospective employee who is accepted feels unclear about their employment status, namely outsourcing employees or permanent employees. Employee status is a condition that distinguishes one employee from another in the company. Employment status is a person’s position in doing work, namely whether the person’s position is as a laborer or employee. The status of outsourcing employees is included in non-permanent employees and their employment status is included in outsourcing employees (Barthos, 2001).

Outsourcing is the delegation of daily operations and management of a business process to an external party (an outsourcing service provider). Through delegation, management is no longer carried out by the company, but is delegated to the outsourcing service company (Soewondo, 2004). In addition, according to Wahyuningtyas & Utami (2018) Outsourcing is an effort to obtain skilled workers and reduce the burden and costs of the company in improving the company’s performance so that it can continue to be competitive in facing global economic and technological developments by handing over the company’s activities to other parties.

The handover of HR activities to outsourcing services is widely used by organizations around the world, because it is considered profitable. As is the case in the telecommunications industry of Pakistan. In the telecommunications sector of Pakistan, external recruitment companies or so-called outsourcing are known to have high work loyalty. Although they do not know the core values, culture, and goals of the organization well, employees are still able to grow their work loyalty. Employees can quickly adapt to their work environment because a comfortable work environment is created so that employees feel at home and are willing to stay in the company as long as they are still needed by the company. Work loyalty is related to the goals, objectives, culture, and values ​​of the organization. Employees are able to know and adapt to this after they have been in an organization for a long time (Jamil & Naeem, 2013).

According to Flippo (2013) Work loyalty itself is the determination and ability to obey, carry out and practice something that is obeyed with full awareness and responsibility. Robbins (2006) defines loyalty as the willingness to protect and save oneself. While Hasibuan (2002) describes loyalty as loyalty reflected by the willingness of employees to maintain and defend the organization inside and outside of work.

Work loyalty is fundamental to the industry because loyal employees will provide high work results along with work efficiency (Elmuti, Grunewald, & Abebe, 2010). Companies that fail to create strategic HR practices can lose valuable employees due to lack of employee loyalty to the company (Meyer & Allen, 1997). Through outsourcing, companies generate profits through HR which is the company’s most valuable asset. While HR itself will feel disadvantaged, so that employees are unable to grow their loyalty in working in the company where they work (Jamil & Naeem, 2013).

Employee loyalty in an organization is absolutely necessary for the success of the organization itself, one of the factors that causes employee work loyalty to increase or decrease is job satisfaction (Citra. L.M., & Fahmi. M, 2019). According to Colquitt, LePine, & Wesson (2012) Job satisfaction is a level of pleasant feeling obtained from the assessment of one’s work or work experience. In addition, according to Mathis and Jackson (2000) job satisfaction is a positive emotional state resulting from the evaluation of work experiences carried out by an individual.

Achieving employee job satisfaction will increase employee work loyalty. Job satisfaction expresses a number of conformities between a person’s expectations about his/her work, which can be in the form of work performance given by the company and the rewards given for his/her work. In essence, a person is encouraged to be active because he/she hopes that it will bring a better and more satisfying situation than the current situation. So working is a form of activity that aims to obtain job satisfaction (Mathis and Jackson, 2000).

Job satisfaction can be seen from employees who feel happy with their work. They will give more attention, imagination and skills in their work. Therefore, a motivator is needed for employees, namely providing physical and non-physical needs. These needs are an encouragement for employees in carrying out activities in a company. This encouragement is called work motivation (Arianty, Bahagia, Lubis, & Siswadi, 2016).

According to Vroom (in Setiawan, 2015) work motivation is how much effort is made to achieve certain results or rewards. Meanwhile, according to Purnama (2008), work motivation is the entire process of providing work motivation to subordinates in such a way that they are willing to work sincerely in order to achieve organizational goals efficiently and economically.

Based on the results of research conducted by Jamil & Naeem (2013) showed that work loyalty has an impact on outsourcing employees. This means that work loyalty that grows in each individual does not depend on the status of the employee, whether permanent or outsourcing. Employee loyalty that grows in the outsourcing company has a positive impact on employee engagement, employees have a sense of attachment to the organization or company where the employee works. In addition, research conducted by Wibowo & Sutanto (2013) also stated that the results of the study showed that there was an influence of job satisfaction and work motivation on employee loyalty in the sales department where if the work motivation of employees in the sales department increased, then the loyalty of employees in the sales department would increase. The regression results also showed that employee loyalty CV. Pratama Jaya was influenced by job satisfaction and work motivation, which was 66.7%. Another study conducted by Thanos, Pangemanan, and Rumokoy (2015) also stated that work motivation and job satisfaction had a significant partial effect on employee loyalty at PT Kimia Farma Apotek.

Based on the explanation that has been presented previously, the hypothesis that can be developed in this study are:

  1. H1: job satisfaction and work motivation affect work loyalty in outsourcing employees;
  2. H2: job satisfaction affects work loyalty in outsourcing employees;
  3. H3: work motivation affects work loyalty in outsourcing employees.

RESEARCH METHODS

The population in this study were outsourcing employees and had the following characteristics: outsourcing employees, had worked for 6 months to 3 or more, because it is expected that during this period of work, real behavior can be seen which is reflected as an action of their loyalty in working for the company where the outsourcing employee works.

The sample (subject) of the study consisted of 100 outsourcing employees who had the same characteristics as the population. Sampling was carried out using non-probability sampling techniques and with purposive sampling types. The answer choices on each scale range from 1 – 6 ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree.

Job satisfaction in this study can be seen through the scores obtained in the job satisfaction scale according to Spector, (1994) namely aspects of salary, promotion, superiors, benefits, non-material rewards, working conditions, coworkers, nature of work, and communication. This measuring instrument contains 36 items divided into 17 favorable items and 19 unfavorable items. One example of an item in the job satisfaction scale is “I feel paid a fair amount for the work I do”. Based on the results of the analysis of the reliability test of the job satisfaction scale, a Cronbach alpha of 0.870 was found, which means that the scale is reliable in measuring job satisfaction.

Work motivation in this study can be seen through the scores adapted by researchers from Tremblay, MA, Blanchard, CM, Taylor, S., Villeneuve, M., and Pelletier, LG (2009) which are arranged based on the form of work motivation according to Deci & Ryan (2000) namely amotivation, intrinsic motivation, external regulation, projected, identified, integrated, extrinsic motivation. This measuring instrument contains 18 favorable items. One example of an item in the work motivation scale is “The awards given by the company are appropriate”. Based on the results of the analysis of the reliability test of the work motivation scale, a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.840 was found, which means that the scale is reliable in measuring work motivation.

Work loyalty in this study is known based on the score obtained through the work loyalty measurement scale adapted by Asih (2018) which is compiled based on aspects of work loyalty, namely obeying regulations, being responsible, dedicated and honest in working. This measuring instrument contains 32 items divided into 30 favorable items and 2 unfavorable items. One example of an item in the work loyalty scale is “I like to work hard, am agile and always want to do my best for the company”. Based on the results of the analysis of the reliability test of the work loyalty scale, a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.967 was found, which means that the scale is reliable in measuring work loyalty.

The data processing technique in this study used simple and multiple regression tests.


RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Based on the results of the reliability test in this study to determine the consistency of the measuring instrument based on items that have been declared to have good discrimination power and proven by the Alpha Cronbach technique with the help of the IBM SPSS Statistic version 23 program. According to Azwar (2012) the reliability coefficient on the scale that shows high consistency and stability of values, namely 0.70 to 1. Based on the results of the reliability test that has been carried out, the scale of job satisfaction, work motivation and work loyalty is known to have good alpha Cronbach reliability test values, this means that the reliability coefficient on the scale as a whole shows high consistency and stability of values. The results of the reliability test on the three variables can be seen in the following table:

Table 1. Reliability Test

VariableAlpha CronbachResult
Job Satisfaction (X1)0,870Reliable
Work Motivation (X2)0,840Reliable
Work Loyalty (Y)0.967Reliable

Based on the results of the study, it is known that the variables of job satisfaction and work motivation have an effect on work loyalty in outsourcing employees. The results of the regression test on the three variables can be seen in the following table:

Table 2. Regression Test

VariableFRR SquareSig
Job Satisfaction (X1)117,5760,7390,5430,000
Work Motivation (X2)87,1600,6860,4710,000
Job Satisfaction (X1) and Work Motivation (X2)16,7730,5070,2570,000
on Work Loyalty (Y)    
  1. Effect of Job Satisfaction on Work Loyalty

Based on the results of data analysis on the job satisfaction variable, the F value is 117.576 and the significance coefficient is 0.000 (p <0.01), meaning that the job satisfaction variable has a very significant effect on work loyalty. The R value on job satisfaction of 0.739 indicates a positive relationship direction and a strong relationship. The R Square value of 0.543 means that job satisfaction affects work loyalty by 54.3%, the remaining 45.7% is influenced by other factors.

These results indicate that the hypothesis that states that there is an effect of job satisfaction on work loyalty in outsourcing employees is accepted. This means that the satisfaction felt by employees in working can increase or decrease their work loyalty to the company. The results of this study are in line with research conducted by Susilowati and Supriyadi (2018) which states that job satisfaction affects work loyalty by 34.3%. The higher the job satisfaction felt by employees, the higher the employee’s work loyalty to the company.

Employees who are satisfied will achieve work loyalty within the company. Job satisfaction is basically something that is individual, while each individual has a different level of satisfaction. In a company, leaders must pay serious attention to the job satisfaction of the employees they lead, because job satisfaction has a chain with the organization’s human resources, organizational performance, and the sustainability of the organization itself (Husni., Musnadi., and Faisal, 2018).

  • Effect of Work Motivation on Work Loyalty

Based on the results of data analysis on the work motivation variable, the F value is 87.160 and the significance coefficient is 0.000 (p <0.01), meaning that the work motivation variable has a very significant influence on work loyalty. The R value on work motivation of 0.686 indicates a positive relationship direction and a strong relationship. The R Square value of 0.471 means that work motivation affects work loyalty by 47.1%, the remaining 52.9% is influenced by other factors. These results indicate that the hypothesis that there is an influence of work motivation on work loyalty in outsourcing employees is accepted. This means that work loyalty can grow and increase if the motivation felt by employees in working also increases.

The results of this study are in line with research conducted by Swadarma and Netra (2020) which states that there is a positive and significant influence between work motivation and employee loyalty at Rame Cafe Jimbaran of 41.6%. If motivation increases, employee loyalty will increase. High work motivation in employees will make employees work harder in carrying out their work. On the other hand, with low work motivation, employees do not have work enthusiasm, give up easily and have difficulty completing work (Husni., Musnadi., and Faisal, 2018).

The growing employee work motivation can come from themselves or from outside themselves. According to Herzberg (in Robbins & Judge, 2006) stated that basically motivation is divided into two main types, namely, intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is motivation related to themselves to feel satisfied such as achievement, appreciation, responsibility, opportunities to advance, and the work itself. While extrinsic motivation is motivation from outside themselves such as physical working conditions, interpersonal relationships, company policies and administration, supervision, salary, and job security.

  • Effect of Job Satisfaction and Work Motivation on Work Loyalty

Based on the results of data analysis on the variables of job satisfaction and work motivation, the F value is 16.773 and the significance coefficient is 0.000 (p <0.01), meaning that the variables of job satisfaction and work motivation have a significant influence on work loyalty. The R value on job satisfaction and work motivation of 0.507 indicates a positive relationship direction and a strong relationship. The R square value of job satisfaction and work motivation of 0.257 means that job satisfaction and work motivation together affect work loyalty by 25.7%, the remaining 74.3% is influenced by other factors.

These results indicate that the hypothesis that states that there is an influence of job satisfaction and work motivation on work loyalty in outsourcing employees is accepted. This means that the satisfaction and motivation in working felt by outsourcing employees can foster their work loyalty in their workplace. The results of this study are in line with research conducted by Husni., Musnadi., And Faisal (2018) which states that job satisfaction and work motivation owned by prison employees in Aceh Province have an effect on the emergence of employee work loyalty. In addition, another study conducted by Citra and Fahmi (2019) also stated that job satisfaction and work motivation together have an influence of 73.9%, while the remaining 26.1% of work loyalty is influenced by other variables.

Employee loyalty is a positive employee attitude towards the company where they work. Employees with a high level of loyalty can work not only for themselves but also for the benefit of the company. Therefore, the role and duties of a leader in acting and making decisions are very influential, so that they can be a benchmark for actions and motivation for employees in all forms and positive activities that will later build enthusiasm and job satisfaction and even employee work loyalty itself (Citra and Fahmi, 2019).

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the results of the study, it can be concluded that job satisfaction influences work loyalty in outsourcing employees by 54.3%, the rest, 45.7% is influenced by other factors outside the study. Furthermore, work motivation influences work loyalty in outsourcing employees by 47.1%, the rest, 52.9% is influenced by other factors outside the study. Thus, job satisfaction and work motivation influence work loyalty in outsourcing employees by 25.7%, the rest, 74.3% is influenced by other factors outside the study.

Based on the results of the study, the following suggestions can be submitted so that employees are expected to continue to reflect work loyalty in their workplaces such as in terms of obeying regulations, being responsible, dedicated and honest in working.

REFERENCES

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Colquitt, J., LePine, J., & Wesson, M. (2012). Organizational Behavior: Improving Workplace Performance and Commitment (3rd Edition). New York: McGraw-Hill Education.

Elmuti. D., Grunewald. J., & Abebe. D.(2010). Consequences of outsourcing strategy on employee quality of work life, attitudes, and performance. Journal of business strategy. 27(2). 178-203.

Flippo, E.B. (2003). Personnel management. Jakarta: Erlangga.

Hasibuan, M.S.P. (2002). Human resource management. Jakarta: Bumi Aksara.

Husni., Musnadi. S., & Faisal. (2018). The influence of work environment, comfort and motivation on job satisfaction and its impact on employee loyalty in Aceh Province. Journal of Master of Management. 2(1). 88-98.

Jamil. R., & Naeem. H. (2013). The impact of external outsourcing recruitment process on employee commitment and loyalty: empirical evidence from Pakistan’s telecommunications sector. Journal of business and management. 8(2). 69-75.

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Mathis, R. L., & Jackson, J. H. (2000). Human resource management 9th ed. Cincinnati: South -Western College Publishing.

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Ni’mah. I., & Nasif. K. (2016). Analysis of outsourcing employee welfare from the perspective of PT Spirit Krida Indonesia employees. Journal of Islamic economics. 4 (2). 300-317.

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Big tech companies announced layoff for more than 70000 employees.

Many tech firms have announced layoffs for more than 70000 employees in the last year. And the names include major tech giants like Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, Google, and others, which are the dream company for millions of people to work with. So, the question arises what is the actual meaning of layoff? A layoff is a termination of employment initiated by the employer for reasons other than the actual work performance. In simple terms, it is the downsizing of an organization’s workforce by suspension or permanent termination of a worker or group of workers.

Let’s take a view at some of the biggest layoffs announced:

Amazon, the world’s largest online retail platform has announced 18000 layoffs.

Google’s parent company Alphabet announced a layoff for 12000 of its employees.

Meta announced 11000 layoffs.

Microsoft announced a layoff of 10000 employees.

Salesforce announced a 10% job cut which will affect around 8000 employees.

Elon Musk owned social media handle Twitter has laid off 3700 employees.

These firms and many other firms even from the non-tech field will further announce more such layoffs in the coming months. And the reasons stated for such a massive termination by companies include over-hiring in the past 2 years from 2020 to 2022, the number of job opportunities has skyrocketed. Many companies increased the number of people in the sector to handle the many projects. But post pandemic, the demand for tech services have been seen a downward turn and companies found themselves in a situation to reduce their operating cost and they see layoff as a solution. Also, another major reason is the alarming recession. As with the mark of the new year 2023, World Bank and IMF have published reports stating that the chances of many economies heading toward recession are high. Recession will lead to low aggregate demand and result in low revenue for companies. So, companies in order to reduce their costs so as to be profitable are looking for laying off their employees.

Building a learning culture for Remote employees?

Learning is an important part in the growth of any organization, and building a culture that encourages and empowers this is essential.

Photo by fauxels on Pexels.com

Through adaptive learning an organisation can build a learning culture for remote employees. They can be given a set of problems to solve online and make observations on qualitative and quantitative financial parameters such as rating, growth and financial stress.

With the flexibility to take the test multiple times, employees are motivated to acquire relevant skills. Instructors can review, curate, and assign multiple projects for employees to solve and enhance skills.

This solution is approved by the Ministry of Education under NEAT program and was implemented with learners at Indian School of Business.

Moreover, when employees are rewarded for enhancing their skills – with better roles or pay – there is always incentive for these remote workers to keep signing up for more workshops, courses and adaptive learning.

Photo by Christina Morillo on Pexels.com

To build a future – ready remote workforce, one needs to go an extra mile to ensure learning in the virtual environment

Reference

http://www.timesofindia

http://www.badrinarayan.com

Gig Economy

What Is the Gig Economy?

In a gig economy, temporary, flexible jobs are commonplace and companies tend to hire independent contractors and freelancers  instead of full-time employees. A gig economy undermines the traditional economy of full-time workers who often focus on their career development.

Understanding the Gig Economy

In a gig economy, large numbers of people work in part-time or temporary positions or as independent contractors. The result of a gig economy is cheaper, more efficient services, such as Uber or Airbnb, for those willing to use them. People who don’t use technological services such as the Internet may be left behind by the benefits of the gig economy. Cities tend to have the most highly developed services and are the most entrenched in the gig economy. A wide variety of positions fall into the category of a gig. The work can range from driving for Lyft or delivering food to writing code or freelance articles. Adjunct and part-time professors, for example, are contracted employees as opposed to tenure-track or tenured professors. Colleges and universities can cut costs and match professors to their academic needs by hiring more adjunct and part-time professors.

The Factors Behind a Gig Economy

America is well on its way to establishing a gig economy, and estimates show as much as a third of the working population is already in some gig capacity. Experts expect this working number to rise, as these types of positions facilitate independent contracting work, with many of them not requiring a freelancer to come into an office. Gig workers are much more likely to be part-time workers and to work from home. Employers also have a wider range of applicants to choose from because they don’t have to hire someone based on their proximity. Additionally, computers have developed to the point that they can either take the place of the jobs people previously had or allow people to work just as efficiently from home as they could in person.

Economic reasons also factor into the development of a gig economy. Employers who cannot afford to hire full-time employees to do all the work that needs to be done will often hire part-time or temporary employees to take care of busier times or specific projects. On the employee’s side of the equation, people often find they need to move or take multiple positions to afford the lifestyle they want. It’s also common to change careers many times throughout a lifetime, so the gig economy can be viewed as a reflection of this occurring on a large scale.

During the coronavirus pandemic of 2020, the gig economy has experienced significant increases as gig workers have delivered necessities to home-bound consumers, and those whose jobs have been eliminated have turned to part-time and contract work for income. Employers will need to plan for changes to the world of work, including the gig economy, when the pandemic has ended.

Criticisms of the Gig Economy

Despite its benefits, there are some downsides to the gig economy. While not all employers are inclined to hire contracted employees, the gig economy trend can make it harder for full-time employees to develop in their careers since temporary employees are often cheaper to hire and more flexible in their availability. Workers who prefer a traditional career path and the stability and security that come with it are being crowded out in some industries.

For some workers, the flexibility of working gigs can actually disrupt the work-life balance, sleep patterns, and activities of daily life. Flexibility in a gig economy often means that workers have to make themselves available any time gigs come up, regardless of their other needs, and must always be on the hunt for the next gig. Competition for gigs has increased during the pandemic, too. And unemployment insurance usually doesn’t cover gig workers who can’t find employment.

In effect, workers in a gig economy are more like entrepreneurs than traditional workers. While this may mean greater freedom of choice for the individual worker, it also means that the security of a steady job with regular pay, benefits—including a retirement account—and a daily routine that has characterized work for generations are rapidly becoming a thing of the past.

Lastly, because of the fluid nature of gig economy transactions and relationships, long-term relationships between workers, employers, clients, and vendors can erode. This can eliminate the benefits that flow from building long-term trust, customary practice, and familiarity with clients and employers. It could also discourage investment in relationship-specific assets that would otherwise be profitable to pursue since no party has an incentive to invest significantly in a relationship that only lasts until the next gig comes along.

Should Employers Check Social Media Accounts of Potential Employees?

In today’s world everyone has at least one social media account. This shows how much social media has gained popularity especially among youth. With this rise, an increasing number of companies are utilizing it to screen job prospects which means they check their potential employee’s social media account. So, make sure your social media profiles are appropriate for work because it could possibly have negative impact on your work life. It has the potential to cost you your present work as well as future career chances. According to a poll conducted by career builder in 2018, the result depicted that 70% of employers use social media to evaluate candidates throughout the recruiting process, while 43% use it to check on current employees.

Employers examine social media accounts for a variety of reasons, but the most common one is to ensure that a candidate is a good match for their firm. they do so because social media accounts allow them to get a look of a person’s personality outside of their resume, which aids them in finding the best candidate for their company.

However, Before relying on any information obtained from social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn, it’s vital to understand that there are several flaws to be wary of. When checking a candidate’s social media history, employers and HR professionals should be cautious. A social media history should only be evaluated as part of a comprehensive background check on job applicants. A criminal history record, as well as academic and job verifications, should all be included in a background check that can easily be done by hiring a third-party who is good in running background checks on applicants. 

Everyone who is seeking for a job or will be applying in the future should examine their social media profiles and not entirely delete their online presence. Because as per statistics 47% Employers do not call  people for interviews if they can’t locate them online. More than a quarter of employers say they like to acquire more information before phoning a candidate, and 20% say they expect candidates to have an online presence. so, deleting a social media account out of fear of shame is a no-no. you can simple keep it clean anyway. 

Now, the question of privacy comes into play. So, Employers are perfectly legal to examine public social media platforms, but anything beyond public accounts is a murky area. As long as the employer has access to public information that everyone can see, there should be no privacy concerns.  But a major pitfall is that A social media search, on the other hand, cannot provide a check on the authenticity or veracity of the material. As with any other background or reference check, the information obtained through social media must be checked for accuracy because a person’s whole career is dependent on that 1 job. Employers should use extreme caution when using social media searches to gather information about job candidates. At the absolute least, companies should consult their attorneys before obtaining information for employment reasons via social media. 

As per the data collected, following are the types of posts and behaviors that left a negative impression on employers. It is essential to know this because more than half of the employers i.e. 57% polled claimed that they discovered something through their social screenings that caused them to reject a candidate. 

Provocative or improper photos, videos, or information were shared by a job candidate: 40%
job applicants disclosed details regarding their drinking or drug use: 36%
Discriminatory remarks on color, gender, religion, and other factors were made by a job candidate: 31%
The following job contender was related to illegal activity: 30%
An applicant for a job lied about their qualifications: 27%
Candidate’s communication abilities were poor: 27%
A job seeker slandered their prior employer or coworkers: 25% 
The screen name of a job seeker was unprofessional: 22%
Former employers’ private information was disclosed by a job candidate:  20% 
Candidate for a job lied about an absence: 16%
Candidate postings are very frequent: 12%

Professionals should not take any shortcuts when it comes to establishing a positive internet presence once they have landed a job. According to the survey, 48% of companies visit social networking sites to do background checks on existing employees and as per sources they had fired them too. So one seeking job or an employee should keep his/her social media accounts clean in order to secure their jobs. 

Sexual Harassment Among Employees | Strategies to Eliminate it

Sexual harassment at work can have very serious consequences both for the harassed individual as well as for other working women who experience it secondhand.

The consequences to the individual employee can be many and serious. In some situations, a harassed woman risks losing her job or the chance for a promotion if she refuses to give in to the sexual demands of someone in authority. In other situations, the unwelcome sexual conduct of co-workers makes the working conditions hostile and unpleasant- putting indirect pressure on her to leave the job. Sometimes, the employee is so traumatized by the harassment that she suffers serious emotional and physical consequences and very often, becomes unable to perform her job properly.

According to data complied by Equal Rights Advocates, a women’s law center in the U.S., 90 to 95% of sexually harassed women suffer from some debilitating stress reaction, including anxiety, depression, headaches, sleep disorders, weight loss or gain, nausea, lowered self-esteem and sexual dysfunction. In addition, victims of sexual harassment lose $4.4 million dollars in wages and 973,000 hours in unpaid leave each year in the United States.

The consequences to working women as a group are no less serious. Sexual harassment has a cumulative, demoralizing effect that discourages women from asserting themselves within the workplace, while among men it reinforces stereotypes of women employees as sex objects.Severe or pervasive sexual harassment in certain types of businesses creates a hostile or intimidating environment that causes women to leave their jobs and look elsewhere for work or discourages them from seeking those jobs in the first place.

The effect on the morale of all employees can also be serious. Both men and women in a workplace can find their work disrupted by sexual harassment even if they are not directly involved. Sexual harassment can have a demoralizing effect on everyone within range of it, and it often negatively impacts company productivity on the whole.

Strategies
to prevent sexual harassment

It is recommended that employers take the following steps to prevent sexual
harassment.

(a) Get
high-level management support

Obtain high level support from the chief executive officer and senior
management for implementing a comprehensive strategy to address sexual
harassment.

(b) Write
and implement a sexual harassment policy

  • Develop a written policy which prohibits sexual harassment in consultation
    with staff and relevant unions.
  • Regularly distribute and promote the policy at all levels of the
    organisation. Ensure the policy is easily accessible on the organisation’s
    intranet.
  • Provide the policy and other relevant information on sexual harassment to
    new staff as a standard part of induction.
  • Translate the policy into relevant community languages where required so it
    is accessible to employees from culturally and linguistically diverse
    backgrounds.
  • Ensure that the policy is accessible to staff members with a
    disability.
  • Ensure that managers and supervisors discuss and reinforce the policy at
    staff meetings. Verbal communication of the policy is particularly important in
    workplaces where the literacy of staff may be an issue.
  • Periodically review the policy to ensure it is operating effectively and
    contains up-to-date information.

(c) Provide
regular training and information on sexual harassment to all staff and
management

  • Conduct regular training sessions for all staff and management on sexual
    harassment and the organisational policy. This training should be behaviourally
    based which means it should increase knowledge and understanding of specific
    behaviours that may amount to sexual harassment under the Sex Discrimination
    Act. Regular refresher training is recommended.
  • Train all line managers on their role in ensuring that the workplace is free
    from sexual harassment.
  • Display anti-sexual harassment posters on notice boards in common work areas
    and distribute relevant brochures.

(d) Encourage
appropriate conduct by managers

  • Line managers should understand the need to model appropriate standards of
    professional conduct at all times.
  • Include accountability mechanisms in position descriptions for
    managers.
  • Ensure that selection criteria for management positions include the
    requirement that managers have a demonstrated understanding of and ability to
    deal with discrimination and harassment issues as part of their overall
    responsibility for human resources.
  • Check that managers are fulfilling their responsibilities through
    performance appraisal schemes.

(e) Create
a positive workplace environment

  • Remove offensive, sexually explicit or pornographic calendars, literature,
    posters and other materials from the workplace.
  • Develop a policy prohibiting inappropriate use of computer technology, such
    as e-mail, screen savers and the internet.
  • It is recommended that medium and large employers undertake regular audits
    to monitor the incidence of sexual harassment in their workplaces and the use
    and effectiveness of their complaints procedures.