13 minute read
The Employee Voice
How women and those from a minority ethnic background in HTL feel about the impact of Covid-19
The HTL sector has been hit especially hard by the economic impact of Covid-19. Revenues have fallen sharply, and millions of employees have been furloughed or faced cuts in hours. Even now businesses are reopening, HTL continues to be affected by consumer uncertainty, travel restrictions and the demands of social distancing. Based on a survey of 1,500 employees across the HTL sector, PwC explores how the industry’s general workforce feels about their company’s Covid-19 response.
The survey
Studies show that in the economy as a whole, the pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on women, carers and workers from BAME communities. Contributing factors include the high proportion of female and BAME workers who are employed on insecure contract terms (e.g. ‘zero hours’) or in jobs at heightened risk of exposure to the virus. Despite change, women also still bear the weight of caring responsibilities.
Given the scale of the upheaval within HTL, we wanted to find out whether Covid-19 has had a similarly disproportionate impact on female and BAME workers in these sectors. Drawing on a survey of 1,500 HTL employees, key questions explored in this chapter include:
Whether inclusion and diversity have taken a back seat as HTL organisations have had to make on-the-spot decisions in their struggle to survive.
Whether the gains made in D&I within HTL have been reversed or whether 2020 could prove to be a catalyst for accelerating progress.
How we can harness the experiences gained during 2020 to create more inclusive and effective ways of operating within HTL.
With the Black Lives Matter movement having further heightened the spotlight on inequality and discrimination, we also wanted to find out how HTL organisations have responded. The findings from our Employee Voice survey reveal some encouraging signs. In particular, 71% of HTL workers have felt supported by their employer during Covid-19. However, fewer women and BAME workers share this view.
In turn, the survey highlights concerns in areas ranging from the protection of staff in vulnerable jobs to the lack of data being collected and used to inform key decisions affecting women and BAME workers. Moreover, while almost all of the people we surveyed are aware of the Black Lives Matter movement, most report little or no response from their employer.
EMPLOYEE VOICE 2020: HEARING FROM WORKERS AT HIGHEST RISK
On behalf of PwC, Opinium surveyed 1,105 employees working in hospitality, 196 in travel and 199 in leisure during the first two weeks of August 2020. This included 979 women and 521 men. 126 participants identified as BAME. The participants came from all regions of the UK and included a cross section of workers across all pay grades up to and including middle management.
Snapshot
BAME WORKERS IN HTL
Most of the BAME workers we surveyed (65%) have felt supported by their employer during Covid-19 (23% completely supported and 42% somewhat supported).
Yet BAME workers are more likely to have been furloughed, put on reduced hours or made redundant (67%) than white colleagues (62%). Moreover, only 40% of BAME workers believed that their employer has taken all the steps necessary to protect their safety compared to 51% of white colleagues.
Concerns over whether BAME workers are being disproportionately impacted by the pandemic are heightened by the fact that less than a third (32%) of the participants in our survey reported that their employer collects information on workers’ ethnicity. Without this data, it’s difficult for management to know with any certainty whether BAME workers are being fairly treated.
Moreover, while our survey highlights widespread awareness of the Black Lives Matter movement within HTL, only 19% of survey participants reported that their organisation has responded. In turn, only 30% reported that their organisation has had conversations about racism.
FEMALE WORKERS IN HTL
Most of the women working in HTL we surveyed (69%) have felt supported by their employer during Covid-19 (30% completely supported and 40% somewhat supported).
Yet, women are more likely to have been furloughed, put on reduced hours or made redundant (65%) than male colleagues (56%). It’s also telling that women are less likely than men to believe that their employer’s working from home policies and practices have taken their personal circumstances into account (64% to 74%).
For management, these findings underline the importance of being conscious of how their decisions affect different groups within the workforce, especially those who could be disproportionately impacted such as women.
TREATED FAIRLY OR UNFAIRLY?
Covid-19 has led to huge disruption in working lives within HTL. As lockdown took hold, the bulk of customer-facing and ancillary staff (e.g. cleaners and kitchen workers) were furloughed or faced cuts in hours. In turn, most managerial and clerical employees had to make a rapid switch to home working.
The big question from an inclusion perspective is whether some groups have been unfairly treated, while others have been favoured. For example, are women more likely to lose out on working hours and pay than men? Are white employees more likely to be chosen to remain at work rather than being furloughed or laid off? If so, the sense that “we’re all in this together” and the workforce cohesion that comes with this will soon slip away. And while decisions that disadvantage women or BAME workers are unlikely to be the result of conscious discrimination, they could still stem from unconscious biases that have become ingrained within the organisation and its management.
Within HTL, our survey indicates that many women and BAME workers have lost out in comparison to other groups. A higher proportion of women have been furloughed, put on reduced hours or made redundant (65%) than men (56%). In turn, 67% of BAME workers have been furloughed, put on reduced hours or made redundant, compared to 62% of white colleagues. Few believe that either their gender (1% of women) or their ethnicity (1% of BAME workers) contributed to their employer’s decision. However, as a number of leaders interviewed for this report acknowledge, some operations are more likely to have faced widespread furloughing and job cuts than others. These include functions where most of the staff have traditionally been women such as HR or marketing, while largely male teams such as finance have been less affected. It is therefore important to be conscious of the diversity implications of such decisions. Why my experience of working during Covid-19 has been positive:
Why my experience of working during Covid-19 has been negative: “Put on furlough for three months on reduced pay. Have been back for one month, but can only work two days per week as can’t find adequate childcare.”
Concerns over whether the impact has been shared evenly across the workforce are heightened by the fact most organisations don’t collect information on factors such as employee ethnicity. It’s therefore difficult for them to know whether key decisions in areas such as hiring, promotion, furloughing and redundancy are even-handed. As many of the CEOs interviewed for this report acknowledge, the need to respond quickly to unfolding challenges may have left limited time or scope to consider inclusion and diversity. This is understandable. Yet, with easily accessible data on furlough or redundancy rates for women or BAME workers, they could at least see whether one group is being affected more than others.
THE POWER OF DATA
Data and analysis can help to identify inclusion and diversity issues in need of attention, track performance and drive improvement. The information could be especially important at this time in gauging whether some sections of workforce including women, carers or BAME workers are facing disproportionate rates of redundancy, reduced hours and other negative impacts. Yet only 32% of participants in our survey report that their employer collects information on workers’ ethnicity. When all participants were asked whether their employer collected data in any of the areas of ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or social mobility, only 40% said yes, though 37% didn’t know.
A POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE?
Encouragingly, many of the HTL leaders interviewed for this report believe that the experience of Covid-19 could help to fast-track inclusion and diversity within their organisations. In particular, they believe that lockdown has helped to dispel lingering management misgivings about flexibility by showing how much is possible through remote working. Through video meetings with people working from home, senior management have also seen for themselves the challenges their employees face in balancing their professional and family life. More broadly, HTL leaders are increasingly aware of how much the way they treat their people shapes their brand. Inclusion is a critical part of this.
Why my experience of working during Covid-19 has been positive:
Why my experience of working during Covid-19 has been negative: “I do not feel safe.”
The view from staff is more nuanced. Overall, 43% of HTL workers report that their working experience during the Covid-19 pandemic has been positive, compared to 21% negative. This is consistent across sectors and regions, though less so amongst furloughed staff (30% positive). It is also broadly consistent among women (43% positive) and BAME workers (41% positive). However, women working in ancillary roles such as cleaning are more likely to have had a negative experience (29%) compared to their male colleagues (15%). BAME workers in clerical and managerial roles have also had a less favourable experience (29% negative) compared to white colleagues (20% negative).
This mixed picture is also evident when workers are asked whether they feel supported and protected by their employers. Worryingly, large numbers of employees do not feel adequately protected – and fewer BAME workers (65%) feel supported than white colleagues (71%). Moreover, only 40% of BAME employees believe that their employer has taken all the steps necessary to protect their safety compared to 51% of white colleagues. Concerns centre on both insufficient safeguards introduced by employers and steps to ensure compliance with distancing rules among customers. The need for appropriate protection and support is underlined by the fact that the risk of exposure at work is one of the possible reasons why BAME communities have suffered worse health outcomes from Covid-19 than the population as a whole.
Why my experience of working during Covid-19 has been negative:
Overall, women feel just as well supported as male colleagues. However, they are less likely to believe that their employer’s working from home policies and practices have taken their personal circumstances into account (64% of women, compared to 74% of men).
CARING FOR THE CARERS
The welcome news is that 75% of workers who are a parent to young children and 86% of those with caring responsibilities believe that their employer’s working from home policies and practices have taken their personal circumstances into account. This is higher than the survey population as a whole (68%). However, 12% of workers looking after young children and 18% who are carers feel that their caring responsibilities were a factor in the decision to furlough them, put them on reduced hours or make them redundant.
Why my experience of working during Covid-19 has been negative: “I just feel no one has asked how I am, how am I getting on working from home. Do you need support? I’ve heard nothing – just left to get on with it.”
BLACK LIVES MATTER
The BLM movement has spurred increased debate about race and ethnicity in all aspects of society, including the workplace.
Almost all (99%) HTL workers are aware of the BLM movement and 31% know a lot about it. Nearly half (49%) of BAME workers know a lot about it, compared to 29% of white colleagues.
Despite this awareness, only 30% report that their organisation has had conversations about racism in the workplace. Such dialogue is more common in leisure (38%) than travel (33%) or hospitality (29%). Only 19% report that their organisation has responded to BLM (e.g. releasing a statement, donating money or introducing related training courses). Awareness is only slightly higher among BAME workers (22%).
This limited response reflects the sentiments in many of the interviews with HTL CEOs. The leaders are keen to do the right thing, but many are still unsure about what this entails in practice. Others may be reluctant to talk about discrimination in case they say the wrong thing or their statements are misinterpreted. However, saying nothing could be worse as it suggests that the organisation doesn’t really care.
Why my experience of working during COVID 19 has been positive:
Why my experience of working during COVID 19 has been positive:
Why my experience of working during COVID 19 has been positive:
THE WAY FORWARD
Harness inclusion and diversity As your business strives to survive, inclusion and diversity might appear like second order priorities, In fact, they’re critical. They can help to inform key decisions by improving your ability to understand and connect with customers. They can also help you to engage more closely with your workforce at a time when you need all their insight and support.
Get it out in the open Encouraging people to speak out is essential in raising awareness about tackling issues within your organisation. Both COVID-19 and BLM can be catalysts for greater openness. Clearly, some people may not feel comfortable about raising concerns. When people are worried about their jobs, they may be even more wary about speaking out. Networks for women, BAME and other potentially marginalised or vulnerable groups can help to provide a forum for sharing experiences and give people collective confidence in putting forward their views and concerns. In turn, role models and allies within management can promote understanding, solidarity and advocacy.
Base decisions on clear data There will continue to be difficult decisions ahead, including the possibility of further redundancies and reduced hours. Clear data in areas such as the impact of these measures on women and BAME workers can help to ensure that decisions are fully informed and no section of the workforce is being unfairly treated. Data can also help to inform a proactive approach to redeployment and reskilling that reduces job losses and maintains a diverse talent pipeline within your organisation.
Recognise that some workers may need extra support Many of your staff may be facing additional challenges in areas such as juggling work and caring responsibilities. There may also face multiple risks – higher vulnerability to sickness, childcare issues and possible loss of work. Talk to your staff regularly, including all the people on furlough. Check on their welfare and what support they need.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Our survey reveals an encouraging level of support for staff during an exceptionally difficult and stressful time.
Yet a significant proportion of HTL workers feel insufficiently supported or protected. As their comments highlight, there are the deep anxieties about being furloughed without communication from their employer or any sense of what might happen to their job. Others feel unsafe, because customers, colleagues or their employers are failing to comply with basic rules. The fact that these concerns are highest amongst sections of the workforce that may already have faced marginalisation and discrimination heightens the need for concerted action.
Both Black Lives Matter and the experiences of Covid-19 could also be a turning point for HTL. They underline the importance of tackling issues in an open and informed way. They also highlight the value of an inclusive culture, in which everyone feels respected, united and empowered, and everyone can bring their true selves to work. Organisations that are conscious of the particular issues facing their female and BAME workers, and are actively building this inclusive culture, can gain a clear edge in winning over customers and developing innovative solutions to help their businesses survive and thrive.
