This document discusses employment practices in European countries and how they relate to cultural differences. It begins with an introduction to how employees' work approaches are influenced by their country's values and norms. It then outlines key areas of EU labor law regarding working conditions and informing/consulting workers. It discusses the increased use of flexible employment practices in recent years for cost reduction and competitiveness reasons. Finally, it examines how uncertainty avoidance, power distance, individualism vs. collectivism, and masculinity vs. femininity impact different European countries' use of flexible employment practices according to Hofstede's cultural dimensions.

1. Employment Practices
in European countries

2. Introduction
Employees , understanding of work ,their approach to it and
the way they expect to be treated are factors most directly
influenced by the values and norms of their country.
Understanding the Human resource practices and country
culture.
EU labour law covers 2 main areas:
working conditions - working hours, part-time & fixed-term work,
posting of workers,
informing & consulting workers about collective redundancies,
transfers of companies, etc.

3. Among the various human resource ,the use of flexible employment practice
deserves particular attention. In recent years, organizations around the world have
increasingly utilized flexible employment practices to reduce labor costs, increase
market share ,increase employee retention and attract a desirable a human
resources pool.
The EU aims to promote social progress and improve the living and working
conditions of the peoples of Europe - see the preamble of the Treaty on the
Functioning of the EU.
As regards labour law, the EU complements policy initiatives taken by individual
EU countries by setting minimum standards. In accordance with the Treaty -
particularly Article 153 - it adopts laws (directives) that set minimum
requirements for
working & employment conditions,
informing & consulting workers.

4. Important Context:
Introduction of the European common market means an increasing
international competitive pressure faced by European firms. This
makes the increase use of flexible employment practice a salient issue.
European organizations exhibit distinctive national patterns in their
human resource management practices and the countries exhibit wide
variations in their cultures, this provide us the opportunity for examining
cultural differences.

5.  Flexible employment practices basically include work
pattern other than the standard eight-hour-a-day job
for all working days in a year. Some of these have
been in use for several years(temporary work) and
other are fairly recent practices(telework).
Employment practice.

6. Flexible practices:
1) Part time work
2) Contract work
3) Shift work
4) Telework.
5) Temporarywork

7. Flexible employment practices
and country culture

8.  Uncertainty avoidance is defined as the extent to which the
members of a culture feel threatened by uncertain or
unknown and ambiguous situations.
 Among European countries, Hofstede (1991) found
 High uncertainty avoidance (Belgium, France, and Turkey)
 Low uncertainty avoidance (Denmark, Sweden and Ireland)
1-Uncertainty Avoidance:

9. Power distance is the extent to which the less powerful members of
organizations expect and accept that power is distributed unequally.
Power distance influences centralization, participation, leadership style
and use of status symbols.
Among European countries, Hofstede(1991) found
 High power distance countries ( Turkey, Belgium and France)
 Low power distance countries ( Denmark, Sweden and
Norway)
2-Power Distance

10. Individualism related to societies in which the people seek and
protect their own interests over the common goal of the society.
Collectivism related to societies in which people from birth onwards
are integrated into strong, cohesive in-groups.
Among European countries, Hofstede (1991) found
 High Individualism countries (Great Britain, Italy, and Belgium)
 High Collectivism countries ( Turkey, Finland and
Switzerland)
3-Individual/Collectivism

11. The Masculinity are associated with greater importance attached to
earnings, recognition, advancement and challenging work.
The Femininity dimension associated with good relationship with
supervisor, co-operation, quality of life and employment security.
Among European countries Hofstede (1991) found
•High masculinity countries ( Italy, Switzerland and GreatBritain
•low masculinity countries ( Denmark, Norway and Sweden)
4-Masculinity- Femininity

12.  Discussion
 Questions/Answers Section.
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