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In-work poverty, ethnicity and workplace cultures JRF Poverty & Ethnicity Programme

In-work poverty, ethnicity and workplace cultures JRF Poverty & Ethnicity Programme. Breakout session presentation for BTEG-Inclusion conference on Increasing ethnic minority employment 4 th February 2013. Research aims. Relationship between in-work poverty, workplace cultures, ethnicity

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In-work poverty, ethnicity and workplace cultures JRF Poverty & Ethnicity Programme

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  1. In-work poverty, ethnicity and workplace cultures JRF Poverty & Ethnicity Programme Breakout session presentation for BTEG-Inclusion conference on Increasing ethnic minority employment 4th February 2013

  2. Research aims • Relationship between in-work poverty, workplace cultures, ethnicity • Informal work practices: shaping opportunities, winners and losers • Discriminatory attitudes and behaviour • Employees’ attitudes and actions vs employers’ • How to create change

  3. Large Employer sample supporting exploration of cultures of progression

  4. Low paid worker sample – 65 interviews

  5. The case studies and the business case for diversity

  6. Restructuring and equalities in supply chains • Out-sourcing in public / social enterprise sector case studies • Equal opportunities policies in procurement/ supply chains • A window on supply chains: FacilitiesCo1 & FacilitiesCo2

  7. Ethnic minority recruitment & progression • Case studies in super-diverse urban areas • Progress in recruitment • Next step, progression gap (e.g. Council1) • Case studies in diverse semi-rural areas • Working on recruitment and community representation (e.g. Housing1)

  8. Equal Opportunities? The gap between policy and practice ‘We need to understand that there may be a formal organisational culture proclaiming common values and beliefs, but behind this façade there are likely to be different informal subcultures reflecting distinct values and beliefs’. (from Noon & Blyton, 1997, The Realities of Work)

  9. INEFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE DEVELOPMENT REVIEWS The realities of low paid work LACK OF ADVICE, COACHING, MENTORING, WORK SHADOWING UNSUPPORTIVE LINE MANAGEMENT RIGIDITY OF PROGRESSION REQUIREMENTS LOW WAGE TRAPS LITTLE SCOPE FOR HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT UNDER-EMPLOYMENT LEARNING TO WORK LACK OF STEPPING STONES EXPLOITATION

  10. Key point: Low paid workers across all ethnicities affected by.. ...Low wage traps Wasted potential

  11. Ethnicity & organisational subcultures STEREOTYPING CONFIDENCE, ESOL NEEDS, LACK OF ROLE MODELS FAVOURITISM ETHNICITY AFFECTS PRACTICES COMMUNITY LANGUAGE SKILLS, ESOL & SOCIAL NETWORKS BULLYING, HARASSMENT, BANTER UNDER-EMPLOYMENT HOURS OF WORK & ACCESS TO ESOL CLASSES

  12. Management mindsets & behaviours • Conscious and unconscious bias • Impacts: • Morale, trust, aspiration • Reinforcing progression ceilings • Persistent underemployment and in-work poverty

  13. Key point: Additional layers of disadvantage for BME/ migrant workers Ethnicity affects progession ceilings Wasted potential

  14. ‘The most deprived people are going to stay deprived, if there is no support, if there is nothing …to get them out of that. We do need extra support, we don’t have people in our families whose higher income can support us, so who do we turn to?...If we don’t get the right support, the right encouragement, we are just going to stay at the bottom.’ (Council2, low paid worker, Bangladeshi woman)

  15. Emerging solutionsSuggestions for providing routes to better paid work

  16. Bench-marking and ethnic monitoring • More monitoring/ better data • Pro-active use of the data!

  17. Acknowledging gap between official cultures & informal cultures • Closer organisational scrutiny of informal cultures • Step 1? Appointment of Director of Culture change

  18. Community engagement, worklessness & labour market progression • Creative thinking & progression initiatives • Integrating equality? Example 1: Pre-employment programmes Example 2: Linking tenants with adult education Example 3: Apprenticeship schemes Example 4: PATH Trainees/ positive action Example 5: Talent Pools

  19. Promoting career development among low paid workers • Awareness of subconcious bias and recognition of potential • “Working to learn, not learning to work” • Informal training/ coaching /mentoring • Work placements • Positive role models, good news stories • Widening social networks, workplace interactions, horizons… • Creative progression planning

  20. ‘I think it is the image they are projecting, it makes people feel like they can’t go for certain roles. So maybe they just need to have a different approach, better communication with their staff, that the opportunities are available for everyone…And maybe, when they are doing adverts or something, they should put a few black faces… Otherwise certain people will not go to certain places.’ (HR Manager, FacilitiesCo1)

  21. Summary • Gap between equal opportunities policy and reality for low paid workers • Low wage traps and progression ceilings • Wasted potential • Changing management mindsets & behaviour • A more strategic organisational approach • Leadership and tailored approaches

  22. Workshop discussion questions • How can low paid worker career progression be supported? • What kinds of interventions will challenge negative informal workplace cultures? • How do we encourage employer/ management take-up of good practice?

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