Problems of agency work during the coronavirus crisis: A case of Kazakhstan

Abstract

The study was carried out based on a survey among 115 Kazakhstani employees and 49 employers to understand attitudes to online employability during the coronavirus crisis and related problems to such format of work. Employees were presented by 32% of Generation Y (born between 1985 and 2002), 44% of Generation X (born between 1964 and 1984), 13% of Baby Boomers (born between 1944 and 1963), and 11% of Silent Generation (born before 1943). As for employers, they were presented by 28% of Generation Y, 51% of Generation X, 16% of Baby Boomers, and 5% of Silent Generation. The result reveals that the format of work has been 46% full-time online, 49% part-time online, 5% mix of full and part-time format. The same pattern was observed among employers with 60% confirming the use of remote online work of staff within the framework of self-isolation, although 31% switched to the part-time online format of work and 9% used a mix of full and part-time. At the same time, only about 7% of the workers and 11% of employers previously had such a practice, and for the majority, such work became an absolutely new experience. Most of 85% of Generation Y and 76% of Generation X have the sufficiency of digital skills and ability to work online, while 42% of Baby Boomers and 67% of Silent Generation experienced difficulties. In terms of problems, both employees and employers prioritize organization policies, communication, and law relationship.