A new CIPD policy report, ‘Zero-hours and short-hours contracts in the UK: employer and employee perspectives’, suggests that, on average, zero-hours contract(ZHC) employees experience similar levels of job satisfaction, work-life balance and personal well-being to permanent employees. The research also finds that ZHC employees report comparable satisfaction levels in their relationship with their managers and colleagues, but while the majority of zero-hours employees choose to work part-time, they would like to work additional hours. The employee perspective is based on Labour Force Survey data, supplemented by a CIPD survey involving 2,572 employees. The CIPD believe that changes to the law, such as abolishing ZHCs, are likely to be ineffective and counterproductive. But the research does raise issues about employment status, access to employment rights and the treatment of ZHC employees.

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