Unemployment is a term referring to individuals who are employable and seeking a job but are unable to find a job. Furthermore, it is those people in the workforce or pool of people who are available for work that does not have a job. Usually measured by the unemployment rate, which is dividing the number of unemployed people by the total number of people in the workforce, unemployment serves as one of the indicators of an economy’s status.
Types of unemployment
1 Demand deficient unemployment
This is the biggest cause of unemployment that happens especially during a recession. When there is a reduction in the demand for the company’s products or services, they will most likely cut back too on their production, making it unnecessary to retain a wide workforce within the organization. In effect, workers are laid off.
2 Frictional unemployment
Frictional unemployment refers to workers who are in between jobs. An example is a worker who recently quit or was fired and is looking for a job in an economy that is not experiencing a recession. It is not an unhealthy thing because it is usually caused by workers looking for a job that is most suitable to their skills.
3 Structural unemployment
Structural unemployment happens when the skills set of a worker does not match the skills demands of the job available or if the worker cannot reach the geographical location of the job. An example is a teaching job that requires relocation to China, but the worker cannot secure a work visa due to certain visa restrictions. It can also happen when there is a technological change in the organization, such as workflow automation.
4 Voluntary unemployment
Voluntary unemployment happens when a worker decides to leave a job because it is no longer financially fulfilling. An example is a worker whose take-home pay is less than his cost of living.