WORLD OF WORK

Terms Associated with Work:

Employment – refers to a situation where a person has a full-time job and obtains
a salary consistent with his/her qualifications.
Unemployment – refers to a situation where a person is capable and willing to
work but has not yet found a job.
Underemployment – refers to a situation where a person obtains a job for which
they are overqualified, therefore the pay would not be
consistent with his/her qualifications.
Labour force – refers to persons between 16 and 65 years who are capable and
willing to work.
Entrepreneur – someone who undertakes the risk of owning his/her own business.
Self- employment – being one’s own boss

Type of Workers
1. Primary Worker - extract raw materials from earth/nature and they are
found in industries such as agriculture, mining, forestry and fishing.
2. Secondary Worker – are found in construction and manufacturing
industries or businesses involved in processing raw materials.
3. Tertiary Worker – are involved in commercial, administrative and social
services.
Exercise:
Identify the type of worker; lumberjack, banker, musician, food & beverage, stone
quarrying, vegetable production, petroleum worker, designer, building
construction, beautician and advertiser.

Why People Work

1. To earn an income in order to provide the basic needs and wants for self and
family.
2. To provide for retirement
3. To maintain and improve one’s standard of living
4. To maintain a level of independence and not rely on others
5. To preserve one’s status and self respect
6. To keep one’s self occupied, therefore staying out of trouble
7. To meet people and continue networking

Causes of Unemployment
The causes of unemployment depend on the conditions that exist in the economy
and/or the country as well as on individuals themselves. Here are some reasons:
1. Lack of Jobs- too many persons is entering the labour force and not enough
jobs are being created.
2. Persons lack education and skills to qualify for available jobs
3. Disability- companies are reluctant to hire persons with certain physical
challenges.
 4. Education system is academically oriented rather than technically driven-
this has left many graduates seeking office jobs/ ‘white collar’ which are low
in demand.
5. Unfavorable economic climate – continued trade union intervention and high
crime rate has deter investors from starting business in some Caribbean
6. Changes in technology – improvement in this area has led to persons losing
their jobs, machines has taken over jobs humans once did as with a
command the machine is able to do several persons work
7. Discrimination in the workplace – biases related to gender, skin shade,
where you reside, social class and religious affiliation has led to persons
losing their jobs
8. Unwillingness to work in some types of jobs or environment, laziness.
9. Lack of a variety of physical resources, resulting in the country’s inability to
create jobs in the manufacturing sector
10.Poor attitude on the job – lack respect for boss, always late, constant
absenteeism, not completing given task

Effects of Unemployment
1. Human resource would be underutilised
2. Creates a number of social problems- prostitution, crime & violence, drug
abuse, street children
3. Drain on government’s pocket to provide social welfare – health, education,
housing, feeding programmes ect
4. A high unemployment figure reflects negatively on the effectiveness of the
government
5. The average standard of living declines – peoples buying power becomes
limited, basic needs and wants becomes unachievable, decline in physical
health
6. Loss of wealth, saving and property because of inability to service loans
7. Emotional and psychological problems occur and social relationships are
affected. Decline in physical health and one’s self esteem. Appearance of
suicidal tendencies

Solutions of Unemployment
1. Creation of jobs – encourage small business ventures eg use of cassava and
bamboo in recent times
2. Control high birth rate – encourage family planning so there in not the issue
of overpopulation and all the issues it comes with
3. Place greater emphasis on agriculture and agro-based industries
4. More emphasis on technical/vocational subjects in school in order to move
with the changes taking place in the global economy and job fields
5. Create incentives for local and foreign investors so they can create jobs eg.
Offer tax holiday, loan interest loans ect.
6. Allow persons to be able to work on shifts, being able to acquire two jobs
Types of Unemployment
1. Normal /Frictional Unemployment – this is where persons are out of a job
because of being fired for inefficiency, made redundant, leaving in search of
a better job, ignorant of job existence and distance from home to work.
2. Technical Unemployment – this is due to the introduction of
automation/machines(computers) in the workplace used to replace humans.
3. Seasonal Unemployment – this is where jobs are operated seasonally due to
their nature. Agriculture and Tourism sector are considered seasonal as there
is off and peak season.
4. Cyclical Unemployment – occurs when there are changes in trading
patterns where prices for certain product falls on the world market so local
industries which export would need to cut back production which results in
this type of unemployment.
5. Structural Unemployment – a total change in demand from one product or
service to another because of consumers taste or because one product is
superior to another may result in workers losing their jobs.
6. Casual /Voluntary Unemployment – is where low skilled or semi skilled
workers chose to be inactive for long periods and in some cases register as
unemployed to claim state benefits especially in first world countries.

Activity:
State four factors that would contribute to an individual being classified as
unemployable or economically inactive.