Tuesday 27 April 2010

TUC Report on 'Bad Work'

The following overview of a recent TUC report covering good and bad work environments and work life balance is taken from an article published by First Assist in late April 2010 :


TUC challenges employers to promote staff well-being through 'good work'
The TUC has challenged the Government and employers to ensure that workplaces don't just prevent staff from becoming ill, but actively promote good health and wellbeing through 'good work'.
The latest in a series of TUC Touchstone Extra reports - In Sickness and in Health? -argues that around one-third of our waking hours are spent at work, and that our working lives help to define who we are, where and how well we live, and even how long we live.
The pamphlet, which is designed to provoke discussion between unions, employers and Government, maintains that people deserve to work in good jobs where they have a fulfilling working life, job satisfaction and can achieve their full potential. Improving people's working lives not only improves personal well-being, says the TUC, but it can also lead to better, more successful organisations with loyal and motivated staff.
'Good work', says the report, goes much further than simply ensuring that jobs do not make people ill, and is more about organising working in a way that promotes good physical and mental health. Reputable employers will have risk assessments in place to prevent workers being made ill or injured by their jobs, and sickness absence policies to support those who are ill, but the TUC believes much more can be done.
There is a danger, the report warns, that employers and workers see work as an economic process where employees come to work simply to earn a wage. Work is far more than that, says the pamphlet, and as well as providing an income, work offers social contact for many people and is one of the main factors in determining a person's identity and general physical and emotional wellbeing.
The TUC report explains that factors that can constitute 'bad work' include: a lack of control over work, poverty pay, repetitive or monotonous work, a lack of respect at work, incompetent line managers, too much - or too little - work, a lack of training, unsafe working conditions, long hours and bullying.
'Bad work', the report finds, can lead to increased levels of ill-health and sickness absence, lower motivation, higher turnover of staff and reduced levels of productivity. There is a strong link between stress and the use of tobacco, recreational drugs and alcohol, says the TUC pamphlet, while desk-bound working or only having access to junk food during a 20 minute lunch break can lead to obesity.
'Good work' can be rewarding and fulfilling for employees, leading to improved performance. For employers, it can increase productivity and help them attract and retain staff. The report highlights factors that contribute to a better working environment: being in control of workload, good quality line managers, good health and safety standards, a friendly and flexible workplace culture, equality and fair treatment, development and training opportunities, sensible hours of work and manageable work intensity, job security and a healthy work-life balance culture.
The report concludes by suggesting a national standard or index of 'good work' is developed. An index would allow employers to look at work organisation and job design, and would include effective channels for employee engagement, such as unions. It would hopefully encourage employers and employees to work together to ensure that work is no longer seen just as a place where employees go to earn a wage.
TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'A debate on 'good work' may sound like a pipe dream while 3.3 million people are working more than 48 hours a week, and half the UK's employers have not even done a suitable risk assessment.
'However, in workplaces where there are unions, issues around 'good work' have already been raised with employers, and these employers and employees are already reaping the benefits.
'The economic rewards of a national 'good work' culture could be huge. Every year around 170 million working days are lost in the UK because people are too ill to go to work and the cost of this sickness absence runs into tens of billions of pounds. The benefits to individual workers of leading more fulfilled and healthier live are also enormous.
'But as long as we see 'good work' as a good idea rather than a basic human right, work will continue to make workers ill and as a result employees and society will continue to suffer.'
- The pamphlet In Sickness and in Health? is available to download atwww.tuc.org.uk/extras/goodwork.pdf
- Visit the TUC's Touchstone website and blog atwww.touchstoneblog.org.uk

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