There are very few things in life as unsettling as a lack of job security. Worrying about potentially losing one’s job, or missing out on the benefits that come with permanent, secure employment, is the stuff that sleepless nights are made of.
Today, we reveal that in 2016, over a quarter of FE teaching staff were on so-called “precarious” contracts, which, according to the UCU, come with a “hire-and-fire culture” bound to affect many of those staff.
It is easy to see why colleges make use of these contracts and maybe even why increasing numbers of institutions are setting up subsidiary companies through which they employ some of their staff: it gives them more flexibility in tight and unsure financial times. As many colleges embark on mergers, this insecurity around jobs in FE is only going to get worse.
One of the other consequences of this, in many cases, is that despite being employed and spending their working lives in their colleges, many staff on precarious contracts will struggle to identify and feel part of their institution. This is something they share with the large numbers of college staff who work part-time. This week, Sarah Simons offers some tips on how to make sure those teachers do not feel isolated.
College leaders should take note of this. They may not be able, or even willing, to increase job security for all their staff. But even in times of change and uncertainty, they ought to be mindful of the effect this could have on them - and inevitably on their work as teachers.
@JBelgutay
