Comment by Andrew Wilson for August / September CCB 113.
Several of the news items in this section reinforce some important home truths about the nature of the employment contract and what it takes to get the best out of the people that work for you. At its simplest, these truths revolve around the fact that people want to work for an organisation that is fair and just.
For disenfranchised workers at bottom end of the labour market, this sense of justice translates simply into wanting to work for an employer that pays a fair living wage; provides safe and hygienic working conditions; and recognises the right to collective bargaining.
For employees that have greater autonomy in their place of work, this sense of justice extends to attitudes about the reputation of an organisation. We know that individuals who have the choice want to work for a company that reflects their own ethics and personal values. In addition, a strong link can be made between an organisation’s reputation for corporate responsibility and improved levels of employee engagement and morale.
In this respect, it is interesting to note the findings of the study from OPP for the CIPD which shows the positive relationship between morale and productivity. It seems clear that demonstrating a genuine commitment to corporate responsibility can encourage people to give of their best – to increase the discretionary effort so sought after in today’s competitive environment.
There is an important prize here to be won, if companies can turn effective CR strategies into great results that are recognised and respected by their employees. Those who do so will see a workforce that is more committed and better prepared to deliver more for the company.
Andrew is a director at Corporate Citizenship. Email him at Andrew.wilson@corporate-citizenship.com to discuss research, strategy and all aspects of Corporate Citizenship’s work.
Survey shows falling job satisfaction
UK workers still feel in the grip of economic downturn, especially in the public sector, according to the most recent quarterly Employee Outlook survey from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). The survey of 2,000 employees showed employees are three times (29%) more likely to report their standard of living has worsened over the last three months than to say it has improved (10%), compared to 28% and 13% for the same findings last quarter. The survey also shows a particular deterioration among public sector employees’ attitudes towards their jobs and management, as the impact of government spending cuts on jobs, pay and benefits becomes clearer.
Wave of strikes bring Chinese workers a step nearer new rights
The Guangdong provincial government is currently debating regulations that could, if implemented, create a legally-binding mechanism whereby Chinese workers can demand and negotiate for pay increases through collective bargaining. Enterprise employees will be given the legal right to democratically elect their own representatives to engage in collective wage negotiations with management. Deliberations have been influenced by a wave of the problems at factories across the province, including Foxconn and Honda.
The charity Gingerbread has released a report arguing that if single parents are to have a chance of getting jobs in the current economic climate, jobs will need to be structured in a different way so that parents can compete on equal terms. ‘Changing the Workplace’ argues that that coalition Government plans to ‘extend the right to flexible working to all employees’ needs to go further and faster to make work for single parents. Evidence from two London papers over a two week period indicated that 83% of jobs advertised were not flexible, and no jobs were advertised that were in school hours. The charity has also called on employers to do more to bolster flexible working practices within firms.
Employers should get cash for offering internships
In a report published by the Foyer Federation, independent think-tank Demos has suggested paying employers to offer internships to young people who would otherwise be NEET (not in employment, education or training). The research suggests that employers who give quality internships to disadvantaged young people – such as young offenders and care leavers – should receive ‘pay-back’ from the Government if their intern finds stable employment within a year of completing their placement. It argues that the state stands to make significant savings by getting young people off welfare and into the workplace.
Many European companies that publicly embrace workers’ rights under global labour standards nevertheless undermine workers’ rights in their US operations, according to a new report by Human Rights Watch. The report details ways in which European multinational firms have carried out aggressive campaigns to keep workers in the United States from organizing and bargaining, violating international standards and, often, US labour laws. Companies cited include Germany-based Deutsche Telekom’s T-Mobile USA and Deutsche Post’s DHL, UK-based Tesco’s Fresh & Easy Neighbourhood Markets and France-based Sodexo food services. ‘The behaviour of these companies casts serious doubt on the value of voluntary commitments to human rights,’ said Arvind Ganesan, director of the Business and Human Rights Programme at Human Rights Watch. ‘Companies need to be held accountable, to their own stated commitments and to strong legal standards.’
Sodexo and Coalition of Immokalee Workers sign fair food agreement
Sodexo has joined forced with human rights advocates the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) to improve farm worker wages and working conditions in the tomato fields of Florida. The new agreement puts in place a strict supplier code of conduct – developed and implemented with input from farm workers – that supplements Sodexo’s existing code of conduct. In addition, Sodexo will pay a 1.5-cent premium for every pound of Florida tomatoes purchased, with the premium going directly to improving wages for harvesters who are part of Sodexo’s supply chain. In a parallel process, Sodexo will also work to expand the ability of its distributors to report the growers from whom it buys, in order to increase transparency and ensure more humane agricultural labour practices are rewarded with increased purchases.
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