What’s a “Key Worker” anyway?

What’s a “Key Worker” anyway?

LINDA AITCHISON and RACHAEL ROWE discuss the meaning of the term “Key Worker”.

Back in March 2020, Birmingham cleaning boss Bev Redguard was one of many calling for designated “Key Worker” status.

Bev was regularly donning protective clothing to join a 40-strong workforce to fight the spread of Covid-19 in schools where the children of Key Workers were still being taught.

When cabinet minister Michael Gove expressed his thanks to cleaners and others in public services, Bev said that it was a welcome gesture but without further measures to back it up, the gesture amounted to empty words.

As we show in our “Key Worker timeline” below, the term hasn’t always meant someone whose job helps society keep running. That’s why the term has been broadened in recent years … and why Bev, along with legions of cleaners across the UK felt so strongly that it should also apply to them.

Cleaners never did get the official Key Worker status they deserved. But, as Rachael reports below, cleaning suppliers did.

Delia Cannings, Chair of the British Cleaning Council (BCC), said:

"Most cleaning and hygiene staff were not recognised as being Key Workers throughout the pandemic. For example, suppliers of vital hospital cleaning equipment were classified as Key Workers, but cleaning operatives who were going to use that equipment were not.”

"The recommendations of an all party parliamentary group report around cleaning staff receiving Key Worker status in any future pandemic have not been agreed or accepted by the government … nor have any of the report's recommendations, for that matter.

"The BCC continues to call for the government to recognise the crucial, frontline role cleaning staff have in keeping the public healthy, safe and well and for it to agree that, in the event of a future pandemic, Key Worker status will be bestowed upon commercial cleaning and hygiene operatives working in defined key venues and also upon personnel in the cleaning products production and supply sectors."

Contributor Rachael Rowe

Three years on from the first announcement of Key Worker categories, are some other vital roles still missing from this much-used umbrella description?

Helen Neale from Kiddy Charts, an organisation which provides free educational resources for the children of Key Workers (click here for the Kiddy Charts homepage), says: “There are more professions who ought to be included, such as therapists, because not having your therapist can also have a significant impact on people. Volunteer workers within charities as well. There wasn’t always complete clarity. Those who work for Childline. I think I was classed as a Key Worker when I was there during the pandemic, but I am not sure if this was official.”

Chris Oatway, now a marketing co-ordinator at Mattrestek in Rossendale, Lancashire, adds: “I worked in a call centre processing ID verification and vetting for an influx in demand for supermarket delivery drivers. We were given government letters to authorise us to not be stopped by the Police. I also worked from home as a Covid-19 contact tracer.

“Plumbers and electrical management and repair people could also be considered Key Workers as providers to hospitals, care homes, and so on.

“Food bank and drop-in or delivery people provide essential items and food parcels for those in need, and those who check in on vulnerable people would also be Key Workers.

“Politicians are considered Key Workers but that would be in case of risk of war, terrorism and to coordinate a response to needed services. They may also provide reassurance and confidence (when they behave).

Heidi Francis and Kim Clibery

Key Workers are inspirational and those who experience harrowing scenarios should be supported. Those who help others should be helped too.

Timeline: How the term

“Key Worker” has evolved

RACHAEL ROWE, a Registered Nurse and journalist who has worked in long term conditions management, explores the evolution of the term “Key Worker”.

Imagine a city without bus drivers or cleaners. What would happen to the infrastructure? Key Workers are professions critical for modern society to function effectively, but how long has the phrase existed?

1890s

First use of the term “Key Worker”. Telegraph operators earned the name after tapping keys in Morse Code. Intriguingly, burglars who picked locks were also referred to as Key Workers.

1940

Essential workers such as farmers and fire officers were exempt from military service. Both World Wars saw people joining Key Worker roles such as the land army, nursing services, and as drivers to keep the nation running.

1948

When critical infrastructure needed rebuilding after the war, government immigration policy saw 1,027 passengers come to Britain from Jamaica on the HMT Empire Windrush. Today, workers vital to a country’s needs are still listed on immigration fast-track lists.

2001

Key Worker housing schemes first developed when the government encouraged construction of affordable schemes for people in essential professions.

2020

The Covid-19 pandemic and first lockdown brought Key Workers to the fore, including those outside the public sector. Stark differences in livelihoods during lockdown were highlighted. Initially, Key Workers were defined as those working in health and social care, education and teaching professionals, undertakers, food industry workers, and key frontline public sector workers such as the judiciary service, the Police, and security staff. Cleaning suppliers were Key Workers, but not operational cleaning staff.

Speaking as a nurse who worked throughout the pandemic, a difference in how people were living was stark. We were most concerned about the provision of reliable PPE, while others, who didn’t work in the front line, faced issues caused by working from home. I cared for people with long-Covid, and saw first-hand how challenging conditions were.

2023

Despite an All-Party Parliamentary Report recommendation in 2023, cleaners have still not been given Key Worker status. A spokesperson for the British Cleaning Council said, “Finally, with Covid, came a massive increase in technology ... from virtual clinics to online exercise classes. With Artificial Intelligence and automation already here, we must review and address the opportunities and challenges for our future Key Workers.”

The TUC estimated in its “Key workers report” document published in 2020 that 9.9 million people in Britain are Key Workers, with 5.3 million in the private sector and 4.9 million in public sector roles. 40 per cent of people from black and minority ethnic groups work as Key Workers compared to 35 per cent of white people. Women comprise 45 per cent of our Key Worker workforce, increasing to 80 per cent in caring and teaching professions. The TUC also found 3.6 million Key Workers on zero-hour contracts. Room for improvement in basic working conditions remains.

2020 UK Government definitions of the term “Key Worker”

Health and social care

Frontline health and social care staff such as doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, as well as support and specialist staff in the health and social care sector. In addition, the definition incorporated those working in supply chains including producers and distributors of medicines and personal protective equipment.

Education and childcare

Nursery, teaching staff and social workers.

Key public services

Those required to run the justice system, religious staff, as well as those responsible for managing the deceased, and journalists providing public service broadcasting.

Local and national government

Administrative occupations essential to the effective delivery of the Covid-19 response or delivering essential public services, including payment of benefits.

Food and other necessary goods

Those involved in the production, processing, distribution, sale and delivery of food.

Public safety and national security

Police, support staff, Ministry of Defence civilian staff and Armed Forces personnel, fire and rescue staff, and those responsible for border security, prisons and probation.

Those who kept air, water, road and rail passenger and freight transport modes operating during the Covid-19 response.

Utilities, communication and financial services

Staff required to keep oil, gas, electricity, water and sewerage operations running. Staff in the civil nuclear, chemical and telecommunications sectors. Those in postal services and those working to provide essential financial services.

Cleaners such as this ChemDry team weren’t classified as Key Workers

“We are important after Covid too”

Three colleagues from the Making Space social care charity share their thoughts on being Key Workers:

Heidi Francis, 51, team leader at Hollymere Extra Care Scheme, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire said:

“Being a Key Worker to me means taking an interest in effective communication and meeting individuals' needs. It means leading a team safely and efficiently and providing continuity of care.”

Aisha Ali, 26, carer support worker, Carers’ Wellbeing Service, Calderdale said:

“To me, being a Key Worker in 2023 is important after Covid, especially with the effect it had on many people’s overall health. My role allows me to give something back to carers, give them hope, love and positivity. It’s the small things that matter and make a positive impact.”

Elizabeth Booth, 56, carer support worker, Carers’ Wellbeing Service, Calderdale said:

Being a Key Worker in 2023 is very rewarding work. As a carers’ support worker, I feel it is vital that unpaid carers receive as much help and support as they need.

Aisha Ali

What’s your opinion of the “Key Worker” tag?

Is it as relevant today as it was three years ago? Or even more so?

We’d love to hear your views via our social media channels!