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Home / Equine Research Bank / Animals (Basel) / The Impact of COVID-19 on Staff Working Practices in UK Hors...
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2020; 10(11); 2003; doi: 10.3390/ani10112003

The Impact of COVID-19 on Staff Working Practices in UK Horseracing.

Abstract: Due to COVID-19, horseracing was required to cease all activity in March 2020; however, little is known about the pandemic's impact on staff working practices. This study investigated the impact of COVID-19 on staff working practices during the initial lockdown phases. An online survey about working conditions during lockdown was answered by 287 participants. Chi-squared tests for independence and binary logistic regression (BLR) analysis was undertaken. A total of 53.7% (n = 154) of staff were working during lockdown. Pandemic-specific workplace changes were reported as effective by 87.8% (n = 115) of staff. Flat grooms reported workplace changes as less effective (χ (52, n = 131) = 92.996, < 0.001). A total of 67.2% (n = 193) of staff were positive about job security. Trainers and grooms were significantly less likely to report jobs as secure (χ (52, n = 287) = 75.653, < 0.05). The findings suggest that most of the racing industry positively received changes made by their employers to tackle the pandemic, and for staff still working during lockdown, their health and safety was prioritised. Continued development of employee support structures to promote job security and workforce stability is advised, which will minimise the disruption of staff changes on the care and welfare of the horses.
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Publication Date: 2020-10-30 PubMed ID: 33143200PubMed Central: PMC7692747DOI: 10.3390/ani10112003Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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This study explores the effect of COVID-19 on staff working practices in the UK horseracing industry and finds that although most employees appreciated their employer’s changes to cope with the pandemic, there’s a need for continued development of employee support systems to promote job security and workforce stability.

Objective of the Study

  • The goal of this research was to understand the impact of COVID-19 on the staff working practices of the UK horseracing industry during the initial stages of lockdown.

Methodology

  • An online survey regarding the employees’ working conditions during the lockdown, was responded to by 287 participants.
  • In order to interpret the data collected, Chi-squared tests for independence and binary logistic regression (BLR) analysis were employed.

Findings

  • The study found out that about 53.7 % of the horseracing staff were working during the lockdown.
  • A whopping 87.8% of these stated that the alterations instituted by their employers specifically to deal with the pandemic, were effective.
  • However, Flat grooms (the employees responsible for the daily care of racehorses) were less satisfied with the pandemic-specific workplace changes, reporting them as less effective.
  • A total of 67.2% of the staff affirmed they were positive about their job security. But trainers and grooms were less likely to consider their jobs as secure, suggesting mixed feelings about job security amidst the pandemic.

Conclusion

  • The outcome of the research suggests that the majority of the racing industry received favourably, the adaptations enacted by their employers to curtail the pandemic. This applied especially to those who kept working during the lockdown as their health and safety were given priority.
  • The study advocates for the ongoing enhancement of employee support structures in order to encourage job security and workforce stability. Such improvements will help lessen the disruption of staff changes on the care and welfare of the horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Davies E, McConn-Palfreyman W, Williams JM, Lovell GP. (2020). The Impact of COVID-19 on Staff Working Practices in UK Horseracing. Animals (Basel), 10(11), 2003. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10112003

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 10
Issue: 11
PII: 2003

Researcher Affiliations

Davies, Emma
  • Equine Department, Hartpury University, Gloucester GL193BE, Gloucestershire, UK.
McConn-Palfreyman, Will
  • SportScotland Institute of Sport, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK.
Williams, Jane M
  • Equine Department, Hartpury University, Gloucester GL193BE, Gloucestershire, UK.
Lovell, Geoff P
  • Sport Department, Hartpury University, Gloucester GL193BE, Gloucestershire, UK.
  • School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs QLD 4556, Australia.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 5 times.
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  2. Davies E, McConn-Palfreyman W, Parker JK, Cameron LJ, Williams JM. Is Injury an Occupational Hazard for Horseracing Staff?. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022 Feb 12;19(4).
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