Business in the Community is calling on businesses to offer good jobs that offer security, rights and a fair income, along with the opportunity for personal development and progression, and a supportive and inclusive environment. In practice, achieving this for all your employees is complex but our Employment Campaign Manager Charlotte Gibb, explains five steps your business can take to progress.
1. Get the basics right
Before implementing good work interventions employers must ensure they are getting the basics right, such as payment of the correct wage or salary, on time; ensuring employees have the right physical environment, tools and training to do the job; clarity on contracts, including sickness and holiday pay; and being treated with respect and dignity at work.
2. Listen to your employees
It can be difficult for decision makers to fully understand what interventions will make the biggest difference to low-paid employees. The answer lies with the employees themselves. Before making any changes to improve the working lives of your lowest paid employees, make sure to involve those affected at the earliest opportunity in an environment of openness and honesty.
3. Champion good work from the top
The Good Work for All framework underlines the importance of senior leadership as an enabler. We have seen the greatest successes when businesses looking to implement changes in their business have the backing of a senior stakeholder from the outset.
4. Involve the experts
The employers we worked with as part of the Good Work for All pilots benefited from having an independent organisation bringing an outside perspective, whether that was BITC or our expert partner on flexible work, Timewise. We recommend businesses seeking to implement workforce change engage with an independent partner who can act as a critical friend, offer subject expertise and provide an independent listening ear for employees or other businesses in their supply chain.
5. Dedicate resource
The pilot changes undertaken as part of the Good Work for All project would not have been possible without the support of operational staff within the businesses. Changes to improve the jobs you offer will only be implemented well with the investment of the right resources – particularly staff time.
Looking forward
As a core part of our work on employment and skills, Business in the Community are continuing to develop guidance for businesses on specific aspects of the Good Work for All model.
We have recently established a Future Skills and Good Work Taskforce which, together with our Education campaign, will provide more opportunities for our members to address the skills challenge facing the UK.
In the face of digital transformation, workers in low-paid jobs are at particular risk of losing their roles due to automation. Accessible training and development opportunities – that ensure every employee has the opportunity to progress or move into a different role – are key for unlocking the skills and mobility needed to thrive in a new digital age.
We are also working with some of our members to explore the value of employee benefits for helping to address living costs, running a series of events to explore how benefit packages can be made more accessible and relevant for the lowest-paid workers.
Review your own employment offer using our Good Work for All action plan online and get inspired by the impact stories in our Good Work for All resources.
Before implementing good work interventions employers must ensure they are getting the basics right, such as payment of the correct wage or salary, on time; ensuring employees have the right physical environment, tools and training to do the job; clarity on contracts, including sickness and holiday pay; and being treated with respect and dignity at work.
2. Listen to your employees
It can be difficult for decision makers to fully understand what interventions will make the biggest difference to low-paid employees. The answer lies with the employees themselves. Before making any changes to improve the working lives of your lowest paid employees, make sure to involve those affected at the earliest opportunity in an environment of openness and honesty.
3. Champion good work from the top
The Good Work for All framework underlines the importance of senior leadership as an enabler. We have seen the greatest successes when businesses looking to implement changes in their business have the backing of a senior stakeholder from the outset.
4. Involve the experts
The employers we worked with as part of the Good Work for All pilots benefited from having an independent organisation bringing an outside perspective, whether that was BITC or our expert partner on flexible work, Timewise. We recommend businesses seeking to implement workforce change engage with an independent partner who can act as a critical friend, offer subject expertise and provide an independent listening ear for employees or other businesses in their supply chain.
5. Dedicate resource
The pilot changes undertaken as part of the Good Work for All project would not have been possible without the support of operational staff within the businesses. Changes to improve the jobs you offer will only be implemented well with the investment of the right resources – particularly staff time.
Looking forward
As a core part of our work on employment and skills, Business in the Community are continuing to develop guidance for businesses on specific aspects of the Good Work for All model.
We have recently established a Future Skills and Good Work Taskforce which, together with our Education campaign, will provide more opportunities for our members to address the skills challenge facing the UK.
In the face of digital transformation, workers in low-paid jobs are at particular risk of losing their roles due to automation. Accessible training and development opportunities – that ensure every employee has the opportunity to progress or move into a different role – are key for unlocking the skills and mobility needed to thrive in a new digital age.
We are also working with some of our members to explore the value of employee benefits for helping to address living costs, running a series of events to explore how benefit packages can be made more accessible and relevant for the lowest-paid workers.
Review your own employment offer using our Good Work for All action plan online and get inspired by the impact stories in our Good Work for All resources.
