Competitiveness of Individuals in the Labour Market During the Pandemic

Abstract

The global COVID-19 pandemic has changed the behaviour of individuals and companies. This study aims to determine changes in the labour market behaviour of economically active individuals in the context of the pandemic and to identify competitive segments in this period. For this purpose, a representative survey (n = 3079) conducted in the Czech Republic was used. The paper's contribution is a perspective of individuals' behaviour and their perception of the situation. Based on subjective perceptions, respondents provided an assessment of their living situation before and during the pandemic, expressing their opinion on the importance of selected aspects of quality of life, such as their health, active social contacts, creation of financial savings, ability to pay bills, leisure time and coping with stressful situations. The results of a Wilcoxon test showed that individuals re-evaluated each aspect of life and that the pandemic changed the importance for all of them (except leisure time). This change is also reflected in their psyche, attitude towards work organisation, digitalisation and other factors; these were applied in a cluster analysis, which resulted in the identification of three segments in the group of employees in the labour market (competitive individuals, surviving individuals and those reluctant to respond to change). For the group of entrepreneurs, two segments emerged (flexible and loss-creating), while for the unemployed group, the typical segment can be described as dissatisfied and Covid victims. The names of these segments indicate their behaviour and provide possibilities for future use.