37 / 48
Solo self-employment/freelance
–
A self-employed person without any
employees who offers their services
to companies for projects of varying
duration.
Underlying all of these forms of
employment is the basic principle
of flexibility.
Source:
Eurofound (2015).
New forms of employment.
Publications Office of the
European Union,
Luxembourg.
ment frequently results in deviations from usual working
standards in terms of working hours, remuneration or job
security. This can lead to psychological stress and strain.
Many atypical forms of employment bring with them
specific work-related stressors
6
:
•
The stress of staying employed and the pressure to
find new work.
•
The stress of being constantly monitored. Contract
workers and temp workers have to constantly prove
that they are doing a good job and it is worth keep-
ing them employed.
•
The challenge of being employed by several com-
panies at the same time and the time-management
problems that are associated with this.
•
Uncertainty regarding how long the current work will
last and whether they will be employed in the future.
•
Uncertainty because of frequently changing work
environments, for example, temp workers have to
understand safety regulations at frequently changing
work locations.
3
In Germany, the core workforce is defined as all people aged 15 to 64, excluding
those in education, in the armed forces, in military service or civil service.
4
= not a temporary worker
5
In Germany, a “mini job” is for a limited period of time and up to €450 tax-free per
month.
6
Stressors are factors which can lead to the increased likelihood of a stress experi-
ence. Stressors can have a negative effect on health and well-being.
New Forms of Prevention
37