The casual management of casual work: Casual workers' perceptions of HRM practices in the highly casualised firm

Abstract

The increasing use of flexible labour forms such as casual employment has come under scrutiny in recent times. Investigations into casualisation have typically stemmed from either a labour-market economics perspective or a managerial focus. In contrast, this paper attempts to capture the experience of casual employment from the casual workers' perspective. The decline of the institutional regulation of workers points to a need for the enterprise to assume a more active role in the provision of support and opportunities for casual workers. Ignoring casual workers needs may impact negatively on their quality of work life as well as their quality of service provision. The research findings indicate that there is a need to reconceptualise HRM practices in the highly casualised firm. The implications for HR practice, particularly those associated with ethics and the issue of service provision in the casualised firm, are discussed in light of the results.