Moving forward worker wellbeing: How can we develop a genuine culture of dignity and respect in workplaces?

As a researcher, educator and a foreign-born employee of the University of Lincoln, I regularly engage with discussions on workplace diversity and worker wellbeing. We all know that high job satisfaction and being appreciated at work lead to more productive working relationships, happier customers and higher staff retention. We also know that this is not easy to achieve.

I research experiences of migrant workers, women and young adults in tourism and hospitality. This is an industry with high staff turnover, low staff retention and persistent skills and labour shortages. While many tourism and hospitality employees find their workplaces enriching and develop positive relationships, there are also those in precarious situations, exposed to unfair treatment and bad working conditions, and perceived as transient. These are situations they often normalise due to power asymmetries in relations at work (related to age, race, gender, nationality, migration status and role) as well as a lack of knowledge of worker rights, limited support networks and lack of confidence in their English language skills, among other factors. So what can be done to improve worker wellbeing?

This article is based on recent interactions with academics, policymakers and employers during a conference on migration I organised at the Lincoln International Business School (LIBS) in April as well as a seminar I delivered to students on creating more supportive and inclusive workplaces.

From these discussions, five core themes have emerged:

  1. Valuing all employees, investing in their development and providing quality training

For young adults working in customer service roles, in particular those on zero-hour contracts, one of the main issues was their perception of being underappreciated by more experienced co-workers and managers as well as the power asymmetry with customers. Although some workers felt respected at work and provided with opportunities for development, many felt under-valued, easily replaceable and perceived as transient and, hence, overlooked for promotion opportunities. They did not always feel that their efforts and commitment to the company were rewarded and that they were treated as ‘real’ (i.e. permanent) employees were. The omnipresence of zero-hour contracts among this group and demands of the employer-driven flexibility, further reinforced the insecurity of this group and their precarious working conditions. As a result, many changed employers often and felt unattached to their workplaces, with these experiences having a formative impact on their future work identities.

The students highlighted the importance of employers providing high quality training. They shared experiences of undergoing unsatisfactory or limited training, and the impact of this on their confidence. Some underwent only initial training or recalled doing online mandatory courses which they did not consider useful, or getting a large training booklet to engage with. Others reported lack of training altogether or on-the-job training, which many perceived as a more stressful experience.

  1. Retaining employees in post-Brexit Britain 

During his presentation at the migration conference at LIBS in April, Simon Telfer – HR Director at Branston – challenged the assumption that migrant workers are only employed in low-skilled low paid roles in agri-food. At Branston, foreign-born employees work at all levels (many are managers and skilled workers), and some have worked for the company for a long time and are therefore not perceived as temporary but part of the ‘family’. In some instances, children of those workers join the company. Post-Brexit referendum, Branston doubled their efforts to retain migrant employees and made sure they embedded foreign-born workers in the fabric of the company (e.g. by engaging them in committees).

There have been conflicting reports and lively debates on the future of the British workforce and the challenges associated with leaving the EU. While many decisions in relation to labour markets and EU citizens remain to be taken, Branston and other employers have taken active measures to retain and reward their existing EU workers, challenging the governmental discourse of creating a hostile environment for migrant workers.

  1. Engaging meaningfully with staff reports of unfair treatment

Young adults and migrant workers in my studies, and students in my classes, often recounted incidents of unfair treatment and unpleasant experiences at work. For example, young female workers felt vulnerable when exposed to sexual harassment at work from drunk customers. Yet, very few of these incidents were reported due to fear of losing their jobs, not being taken seriously, or not knowing how and who to report these incidents. Among those few who reported unfair treatment, they felt that these were not dealt with properly by their employers. As a result, some workers continued being exposed to bullying and talked about the experience of reporting as being emotionally taxing. So how can we create more supportive and secure working environments that foster a culture of respect? What needs to be put in place to enable workers to report incidents that are dealt with effectively without blaming the victims and exposing their identities? From the experiences of the workers I spoke to, clear guidelines are needed for workers and managers, reported incidents need to be taken seriously, those who report should be reassured of fairness and confidentiality, and training should be provided to all workers.

  1. Going beyond well-washing

How do we make sure that employees strive rather than burn out? In her Financial Times’ article, Pilita Clark, challenges the trend of well-washing in companies. Well-washing happens when organisations provide opportunities for staff to reduce work-related stress and increase worker productivity through a range of activities, such as stress management workshops, mindfulness courses and yoga classes. While these might be useful and beneficial for some employees, ultimately the focus is shifted away from the employer’s responsibility to effectively manage workloads and avert over-worked burnt-out employees. Instead, the responsibility is placed on the employee and their (in)ability to cope with stress and manage workloads. Can we go beyond well-washing and move towards increasing worker wellbeing in another way?

  1. Moving beyond box ticking and the reductionist approach to workforce diversity

Finally, when we talk about diversity, inclusion and equality in the workplace, we need to apply caution for these terms to not just become empty catchphrases and box ticking exercises. We need to ensure that wellbeing of all workers is at the core of all activities.

Achieving this will be different for each organisation, depending on their size, profile and needs. There is no one-fits-all solution. What I think is key is to move beyond the idea that individuals need to be managed, controlled and monitored, towards embedding trust, respect, dignity and opportunity at work. This should be at all levels, for all workers, from women returning from maternity leave, new employees, foreign-born workers, LGBT employees to black and ethnic minority workers, and disabled employees. One can start by, in collaboration with employees at all levels, identifying the needs that are specific to their workplace and their diverse workforce.

Author bio:

Dr. Agnieszka Rydzik, Senior Lecturer, Lincoln International Business School. Agnieszka’s research focuses on equality and diversity in the workplace, with a particular interest in gender, migration, worker identities and the visitor economy.