Abstract
Digitalisation of work is a process connected to the usage of certain devices like laptops, smartphones and tablet computers combined with access to the internet. Digitalisation has led to the transformation of how work can be done and where it can be carried out. It leads to the rise in new jobs and working conditions such as flexible working arrangements (FWAs) and gig/platform workers. It is the objective of this paper is to examine the influence of digitalisation upon the working conditions based on the employment legislation currently enforced in Malaysia. This study raises two questions: firstly, to what extent the jobs and working conditions in Malaysia are influenced by digitalisation? Secondly, whether existing Malaysia’s employment legislation can accommodate the changes to the jobs and working conditions resulting from digitalisation? It is submitted that the traditional working conditions (permanent staff, permanent office and fixed working hours) are no longer suitable to cater who are involved in the digital economy. This paper is written utilising analytical methodologies with the secondary descriptive data drawn from previous literature on the influence of digitalisation on job and working conditions. It is concluded that the existing employment legislation does not provide sufficient protection to the new forms of employment created by digitalisation. It is therefore recommended that a suitable policy is urgently needed to enable better protection to those who fall within the non-standard forms of employment.
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Acknowledgements
This article evolved as part of the research project “Embracing Flexible Working Arrangements (FWAs) Post Covid-19: A Socio-legal Study” and was financially supported by Universiti Malaysia Sabah, under grant no. SDK0177-2020.
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Shaari, S.C., Amirul, S.R. (2023). Influence of Digitalisation upon Jobs and Working Conditions: Towards Policy Response. In: Alareeni, B., Hamdan, A. (eds) Innovation of Businesses, and Digitalization during Covid-19 Pandemic. ICBT 2021. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, vol 488. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-08090-6_34
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