UCLan’s Institute for Research into Organisations, Work and Employment (iROWE) shines spotlight on job quality and productivity in the region
More than 50 percent of workers in Lancashire have reported that stress, anxiety or depression was caused by or made worse by work in the last 12 months, according to a new report.
The Work in Lancashire: Understanding Job Quality and Productivity in the Region report, produced by the Institute for Research into Organisations, Work and Employment (iROWE) at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), surveyed a cross section of over 200 workers across Lancashire from a range of industries and sectors.
The participants responded to questions around the seven dimensions of ‘good work’: pay and benefits, contracts, work-life balance, job design and nature of work, relationships at work, employee voice and health and wellbeing.
Key findings show that more than 50 percent of workers in Lancashire have reported that stress, anxiety or depression was caused by or made worse by work in the last 12 months. This is despite 50 percent of respondents receiving some form of health support over the last 12 months, alongside 82 percent of employers supporting health and wellbeing.
"One of the most striking findings of our report is the impact that work has on the health and wellbeing of the workforce."
— Dr Adrian Wright, Director of iROWE and Deputy Head of the School of Management at UCLan
Seventy percent of workers said they work longer than their contracted hours and only one in three said they could get their work done inside contracted hours. In addition, only 55 percent of people felt they were fairly paid, rising to 60 percent for women, which provides areas of concern in relation to pay, good work and productivity.
The results suggest that organisations need to work harder to consider the impact of work on their employees and consider how organisational practices and policy are reaching employees at a ground level.
The iROWE researchers raised concerns around so-called ‘brain drain’ in Lancashire as workers may be attracted elsewhere by more attractive rates of pay. Furthermore, fixed term contracts were also criticised as being part of the ‘brain drain’ problem, with some participants recalling skilled and valuable members of staff leaving due to short-term contracts.
"The research highlighted some real positives such as high levels of job security and strong relationships at work, both which form solid foundations with respect to work and employment in the region."
— Dr Adrian Wright, Director of iROWE and Deputy Head of the School of Management at UCLan
Dr Adrian Wright, Director of iROWE and Deputy Head of the School of Management at UCLan, said: “Our research, based on a cross section of employees and managers, gives us a valuable insight into the relationship between work, job quality and productivity, in the region.
“One of the most striking findings of our report is the impact that work has on the health and wellbeing of the workforce. Our findings highlight the need for attention towards formulation, implementation and communication of health and well-being policies ensuring there are clear links between policy, procedure and practice.”
He added: “The research highlighted some real positives such as high levels of job security and strong relationships at work, both which form solid foundations with respect to work and employment in the region.
“It also tells us about some important areas which we work on, such as working hours, staff development and career progression, health and wellbeing and employee voice, to enhance the quality of working lives and the regions productivity.”
Key recommendations
The report includes a list of priorities for employers and policymakers in Lancashire to ensure a talent pipeline to meet the current and future demands of the labour market and support sustainable employment which boosts productivity.
• Have a renewed focus on the fundamentals of people management and core principles of effective line management. Provide support for line managers to carry out their management tasks effectively prioritising the dimensions of ‘good work’ such as pay and benefits, job design, nature of work, training and development, and employee voice.
• Pay attention to the formulation, implementation and communication of health and wellbeing policies ensuring there are clear links between policy, procedure and practice. Review existing policies or create new policies to ensure they support staff health and wellbeing (eg mental health, grievance and disciplinary).
• Provide support and training to help managers support employees with their health and wellbeing. Encourage managers to check in with their employees, listen to concerns and act. Consider embedding proactive interventions to safeguard the health and well-being of the workforce.
• Consider the needs of employees and the organisation to achieve secure, sustainable and productive work which embraces flexibility, employee needs and the needs of the organisation (such as hours, place and ways of working).
• Engage in regular conversations with employees about their work and working hours to ensure that workloads are achievable within contracted hours.
• Emphasise communication strategies that support the mission and values of the organisation and employee needs. Focus on communication and foster a culture of trust, openness and dialogue which embraces the involvement of employees in decision-making.
• Focus on conflict management policies and practices to ensure effective workplace relationships, fairness at work and productivity.
• Focus on inclusive policies and practices to ensure equitable and fair work. Create an inclusive work environment to ensure all voices are heard.
The full report, Work in Lancashire: Understanding Job Quality and Productivity in the Region, is available to read online and was funded by Innovate UK to evaluate the Business Health Matters programme.