Flexicurity - a new concept on the labour market

Abstract

Time, in its various aspects and dimensions, plays an important role for business entities operating in the market. Working time and production systems, if properly designed and matched, contribute to the increase of labour effectiveness. A tool that can modernize today’s labor markets and increase their adaptability and competitiveness is called flexicurity. It is still perceived as a new look at the labour market. The concept is getting more and more popular in Europe, as it combines elements of flexible employment with social security. Based on western experience, one can observe that some elements of flexicurity, e.g. flexible working time, facilitate management of human resources, positively influencing its development and competitiveness of a company, especially in the period of economic stagnation. Implementing solutions based on flexibility and security of employment, both at the country and the company level, it is necessary to adapt these solutions to the needs of employers and employees. The purpose of flexicurity is to provide EU citizens with high level of employment security, eliminate problems with finding employment regardless of age and ensure development prospects in the constantly changing economic environment. The system is going to facilitate optimal use of possibilities resulting from globalization offered to employees and employers, while the aim of flexicurity policy is to create a system based on support between professional flexibility and social security. The article presents a Danish flexicurity model as well as study results related to knowledge of flexible working time arrangements, conducted among employers and employees.