UK Work-related Wellbeing: Organisations Carescapes - Organisations, Work & Care

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Organisation Carescapes:
Policies and Practices of Work-related Well-being

The Organisation Carescapes research project investigates well-being issues in employing organisations, by paying particular attention to policies and practices provided for employees. These might include assistance for caring responsibilities outside work, occupational health issues and more flexible working patterns. The aim of the study is to determine to what extent employee well-being policies and practices translate into improving organisational performance.

The team conducted exploratory interviews with senior managers in both private, public and third sector organisations, and found that employing organisations do not use the term 'care'. Therefore, we took a strategic decision to change the name of the questionnaire from 'care' to 'well-being', to meet the language and topical concerns of business.

We have successfully completed a survey of over 100 private, public and third sector organisations which allows us to map the well-being policies that organisations currently have in place. During phase two of the study, the team will focus on 10 organisations and interview a range of staff in order to consider the implementation, practice and experience of these policies on the 'shop-floor'. The research team will consider how such policies impact upon staff recruitment, retention, motivation and overall organisational performance, and produce a set of policy guidelines.

The team have a conceptual article entitled 'Organisations, Work and Care' currently under review at the journal Sociology. We also have a Research Note entitled "What do you mean by that?" Researching notions of 'care' in the workplace" submitted to Work, Employment & Society. A book chapter entitled "Conceptualising and Researching 'Care' in Employing Organisations" will be published in a forthcoming edited collection, "Reflections on Researching Families and Relationships" by Lewis, R. et al.

The team has presented papers at the following conferences:

• Royal Geographical Society/Institute of British Geographers Conference at London in August 2007
• European Sociological Association Conference at Glasgow in September 2007
• Work, Employment and Society Conference at Aberdeen in September 2007.

Further information is available on the news page.

For further information on this project, please download the information sheet (PDF) please contact Dr Andrew Smith.