World of Work

• work


  a job which requires effort
• employment


  work undertaken where payment is recieved
• posittive impacts of work

  • help others
  • develop skills and expertise
  • makes you feel good contributing to your wellbeing
• negative impacts of work

  • typically does not involve payment
  • employment law does not cover work
  • no legal contract
• negative impacts of employment

  • tax
  • can be boring and repititive
  • obligation to follow instructions
  • work/life balance can be difficult to finf
• postive impacts of employment

  • earn an income
  • experience satisfaction
  • may come with perks for example company car
  • legal contract protects employer and employee
  • organisation gets qualified expert
  • fewer are dependent on governement aid and instead there is more tax revenue
• positive impacts of being self-employed

  • keep all the profits
  • make all the decisions
  • adjust hours of work and holidays
  • satisfaction
• negative impacts of being self-employed

  • unlimited liability
  • challenging to be an expert in all areas
  • long hours
  • might have to invest savings
• public sector


  the state (government is an employer)
• private sector


  not employed by the state
• primary industry


  where raw materials are taken from the earth
• secondary industry


  where raw materials are turned into finished products
• tertiary sector


  where finished goods are sold and services are provided
• labour force


  all the people who are available and willing to work at existing wage rates
• unemployed


  the number of individuals that are available to work but can't find employment
• reasons for unemployment

  1. recession
  2. technology
  3. decline in primary sector employment in rural Ireland
  4. brexit
• positve impacts of unemployment

  • jobseeker's allowance
  • further education and training courses
  • community enterprises help the unemployed start their own busness
• negative impacts of unemployment

  • increased government expenditure on social welfare can cause an increase in taxes
  • can lead to the individual feeling personally unsatisfied
• volunteerism


  the practice of volunteering time, energy and expertise without payment
• benefits of volunteerism for the individual

  • learn new skills and develop existing skills
  • having experience on your CV can help secure future jobs
  • helping others
  • sense of satisfaction
• benefits of volunteerism for the organisation

  • gets the skill set of the volunteer
  • helps them provide their services
  • helps them offer support to the underprivileged
  • gain expertise from the volunteer
• benefits of volunteerism for society

  • helps the underpriveleged
  • offers the vulnerable a chance to become self-sufficient
• Employee rights

  • fair wage/equal pay
  • safe and healthy workplace
  • holidays and leave
  • fair treatment
• Employee responsibilities

  • be honest and trustworthy
  • do a fair day's work
  • respect property of employer
  • be punctual
• Employer rights

  • hire suitable staff
  • dismisses employees (provided it is done fairly)
  • the right to run a business
• Employer responsibilities

  • pay a fair wage
  • adhere to all tax regulations
  • maintain safe and healthy working conditions
  • obey all laws
• laws that protect the employee

  • protection of young persons (employment) act, 1996
  • employment equality act 1998-2015
  • unfair dismissals act, 1977-2015
  • health and safety act, 2005
• benefits of good industrial relations for the employer

  • increased motivation for staff
  • increased sales and profit
  • low staff turnover
• benefits of good industrial relations for the employee

  • nice working atmosphere
  • employee satisfaction
  • high levels of self-esteem and wellbeing
• Trade union


  organised associations of workers in a trade, group of trades, or profession, formed to protect and further their rights and interests
• Shop steward


  an individual who represents the trade union in the workplace
• Strike


  a refusal to work organised by employees as a form of protest. employees stop working and stand outside their workplace
• Disputes are solved by the Workplace Relations Comitee (WRC) and the Labour Court
• the Labour Court's solution is known as arbitration