Becoming a Fair Work Nation: consultation analysis

Analysis report of the Becoming a Fair Work Nation consultation which sought views on achieving this vision and ensuring Fair Work remains at the heart of our labour market interventions, particularly in the context of COVID-19 and EU Exit.


Summary

The Scottish Government’s Fair Work vision is that "by 2025, people in Scotland will have a world-leading working life where fair work drives success, wellbeing and prosperity for individuals, businesses, organisations and for society".

The consultation on Scotland Becoming a Fair Work Nation ran from 1 October to 23 December 2021. This infographic summarises the key themes evident across the 95 consultation responses.

Number of responses by sector

  • Third Sector: 21
  • Representative / Member org.: 20
  • Public - Local Authority: 10
  • Public - Public Body: 8
  • Trade Union: 7
  • Private: 4
  • Public - Other: 4
  • Other: 2
  • Individual respondents: 19

Opportunities

Sectoral opportunities

  • Improved pay with more workers being paid at least the real Living Wage and more real Living Wage employers
  • Attracting, recruiting and retaining high quality, skilled staff, and building a diverse workforce
  • Improved physical and mental wellbeing, and improved quality of life from more flexible, hybrid or remote working
  • Better support and representation of workers, through trade union recognition and collective bargaining

In the current economic climate

  • Part of Covid-19 recovery: a chance to take stock, with flexible working increasing access to the workplace
  • Benefitting organisations through greater productivity, resilience and sustainability
  • Aligning Fair Work with the Just Transition to Net Zero, creating high quality green jobs

How to maximise opportunities

  • Take sector specific approaches and work in partnership with key sectors
  • Longer-term public sector funding for some sectors
  • Investing in training, skills development, apprenticeships

Challenges

Sectoral challenges

  • Cost to businesses of raising wages and implementing Fair Work practices
  • Lack of organisational knowledge about Fair Work, and of capacity, skills and expertise to implement
  • Overcoming organisational culture in sectors which are misaligned with Fair Work
  • Limited enforcement/monitoring; bureaucracy linked to accreditation

In the current economic climate

  • Challenging financial climate due to Covid-19 deterring investment in Fair Work
  • EU exit leading to supply chain pressures and labour shortages which detract attention from Fair Work
  • Low wages and the increasing cost of living

How to overcome challenges

  • Moving from short- term to longer-term funding of the third sector and sectors funded by the Scottish Government
  • Addressing low wages in sectors such as social care, ELC, with predominantly female workforce
  • Greater recognition, discussion and employee participation with trade unions
  • Improved rights and employment law

What can you and your organisation do to help Scotland become a Fair Work Nation?

Increase public awareness of Fair Work

  • Improve awareness of employee rights

Make employers aware of Fair Work and its benefits

  • Promote positive Fair Work outcomes e.g. increased productivity and resilience

Support other organisations

  • Use expertise to deliver training and guidance
  • Share examples of best practice

Lead by example

  • Encourage others to adopt Fair Work
  • Influence sectoral codes of practice and strategies
  • Research into Fair Work to inform strategy and policy

Scottish Government actions to deliver Fair Work

  • Increase support for organisations through:
    • Funding, investments, grants and loans
    • Centralised source of guidance
    • Free Fair Work training for employers
    • Mentoring schemes for businesses
  • Strengthen Fair Work in procurement activity
  • Lead by example
  • Promote onal approach
  • Fair Work
  • Engagement, research and data collection
  • Invest in other policy areas supporting Fair Work
  • Enforcement and monitoring Collaboration
  • Learn from other countries
  • Encourage flexible working
  • Support equality organisations to provide training
  • Take an intersecti

Other actions to deliver Fair Work

Employers

  • Improved pay and fair conditions
  • Tackle the gender pay gap
  • Accommodate flexible working
  • More effective recruitment
  • Invest in training and development
  • Gain or maintain accreditation e.g. real Living Wage
  • Support employee wellbeing
  • Recognise and work with trade unions
  • Ensure contractors apply fair work practices

Equality rights organisations

  • Raise awareness of Fair Work
  • Deliver training and guidance e.g. on mental health, cultural competence, age or race discrimination or supporting disabled employees
  • Demonstrate how industries can achieve best practice

Representative bodies

  • Lead by example
  • Raise awareness of Fair Work
  • Influence sectoral codes of practice
  • Demonstrate how industries can achieve best practice
  • Carry out research and inform policy
  • Deliver training and guidance

Local authorities and public bodies

  • Lead by example
  • Pay the real Living Wage
  • Strengthen Fair Work in procurement

UK Government

  • Strengthen existing Equality, Health and Safety and trade union legislation

Contact

Email: fairworkvision@gov.scot

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