Sociology and Space, Vol. 59 No. 219, 2021.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.5673/sip.59.0.6
All in the Same Boat? Differences in Employment Experience and Risks During the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Croatia
Teo Matković
orcid.org/0000-0002-3538-1873
; Institute for Social Research in Zagreb, Croatia
Marko Lucić
; Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Experience of work amidst the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic was subject
to disruptions for most of the employed. According to results of the initial wave of a panel
survey research (SOCRES project) conducted between August 20 and October 2 2020, analysed
in this paper, six out of seven employed in Croatia encountered some of the observed
workplace-related events (furlough, reduced workload, receiving state wage subsidies, working
from home, disrupted work-life balance, wage reduction). We grouped the employed respondents
into six segments considering epidemiological restrictions and support measures directly
affecting the labour market. We examined differences in the incidence of disruptive events,
in particular the disrupted work-life balance and reduction in wage and household income.
We also examined differences in the perception of situation, contact with the virus, and selfreported
health deterioration. Sociodemographic traits (education level, household type and
composition, age, gender) and the role of wage subsidies were accounted for in explaining the
variation in outcomes. Few inequalities between employment segments were found beyond
those obviously arising from interventions. We found adverse effects of disruptive workplace
events on earnings, perception of the situation and self-reported health deterioration. A drop
in earnings occurred most often among the self-employed and disrupted work-life balance
among educators and healthcare workers. Broad state support via wage subsidy amounting
close to minimum wage reassured workers, yet was insufficient to compensate. The necessity
of robust and effective lockdown-proof public education and care services came to fore during
the initial wave of the pandemic, as all the workers had to engage in providing those within the
family, leading to increasing work-life balance challenges.
Keywords
COVID-19; Croatia; workers; labour market inequalities; workplace-related events; earnings; work-life balance; health
Hrčak ID:
255052
URI
Publication date:
1.4.2021.
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