Patricia Findlay

The politics of partnership? Innovation in employment relations in the Scottish Spirits Industry

Perspectives that emphasize links between workplace innovation and broader HR policies, particularly of a ‘mutual gains’ nature, have become increasingly influential. This paper analyses the links and tensions between workplace change and industrial relations systems in the context of attempts to create a shop-floor politics of partnership during a period of corporate restructuring in two spirits companies. We argue that interface tensions between the employment relationship, the labour process and organizational governance are inextricably linked to the outcomes of partnership initiatives. While there are positive outcomes to more integrated approaches to partnership, a range of industrial relations issues, notably the ambivalent position of shop-stewards, remains problematic.

The challenge of job quality

Job quality is a timely issue because of its potential impact on individual, firm and national well-being. This renewed interest underscores the need for robust conceptualization of job quality. This article provides background to the renewed interest in job quality and, drawing on the contributions to the Special Issue, starts to map the dimensions of job quality, the factors that influence job quality, and the outcomes or impacts of job quality. We identify a number of emergent themes. First, job quality is a multidimensional phenomenon. Second, multiple factors and forces operating at multiple levels influence job quality. Third, the study of job quality is an inherently multi-disciplinary endeavour. Fourth, job quality is a contextual phenomenon, differing among persons, occupations and labour market segments, societies and historical periods. Our mapping of job quality, and the articles in the Special Issue, provide a foundation and springboard for understanding better the theoretically challenging and policy-relevant issue of job quality.

In Search of Perfect People Teamwork and Team Players in the Scottish Spirits Industry

Much of the mainstream and critical literatures stress the potential of teamwork for normative integration through socialization and peer pressure. This article utilizes case studies in the large bottling halls of spirits producers in Scotland to explore the characteristics of and limits to such integration. A multi-dimensional model of team-work and an examination of both practices and attitudes enables the research to identify the variety of managerial objectives and out-comes across and within the plants. Though the extent of integration varies between the teams, the overall results lead to scepticism about whether team members can be considered as socially engineered individuals who have internalized company normative demands. These findings, it is argued, are compatible with the majority of comparable case study research.

The consequences of caring: skills, regulation and reward among early years workers

The persistence of gendered pay inequality raises questions as to what sustains it. Recent contributions highlight the role of low skills visibility and valuation in pay inequality in predominantly female occupations. This artical examines the skills and rewards of early years workers, the organizational processes through which their skills are measured and rewarded and the institutional and organizational influences on grading and pay systems.The article does so at an important juncture when the importance and regulation of the ‘early years’ sector has increased significantly and following pay equality initiatives. It concludes that while the application of more systematic forms of skill and job measurement has improved the relative rewards of nursery nurses, gendered constructions of their caring skills contaminate evaluation of their educational role such that undervaluation of their work persists. This finding raises implications for other work that incorporates caring skills.

Union Learning Funds and Trade Union Revitalization: A New Tool in the Toolkit?

This article examines the potential of union-led learning through union learning funds to contribute to trade union revitalization. Empirical data are drawn from an evaluation of the Scottish Union Learning Fund. Findings suggest that union-led learning can contribute to revitalization by enhancing relationship building with members, potential members, employers and government. However, problems exist in each case, and the findings suggest that a more strategic orientation to learning is required by unions.

Contemporary work: its meanings and demands

This article addresses recurrent trends in the forces shaping work and its meanings. Using evidence from large-scale surveys and qualitative case studies it maps the changing picture of work and employment, particularly in the UK and Australia. It does so by focusing on insecurity, demanding work, performance management, work–life boundaries and dis/engagement. Whilst identifying a number of negative impacts of change such as growing insecurity and excessive work pressures, the article emphasises that these are trends, not universals, and don’t affect all workers or affect them in the same way. We need to be more careful about how trends are translated into overarching theoretical constructs that give a misleading picture. In policy terms, attention should be given to the intersection of labour process and labour market factors, the changing boundaries between and shared aspirations of ‘standard’ and ‘nonstandard’ workers, and to a more nuanced understanding of the positive elements of ‘bad’ jobs and the more negative elements of ‘good’ ones.

What every worker wants? Evidence about employee demand for learning

In order to boost learning, recent UK governments have invested in trade union-led workplace learning. Investing in the supply of learning is useful but ignores the demand for learning by workers, about which there is little research. This paper addresses this lacunae by analysing worker demand for learning, which workers want learning, what learning is demanded and why, and what factors might best lever learning. Data come from two surveys of potential learners and union learning representatives. Findings reveal a large demand for learning and that unions can lever this learning. Findings also suggest further policy development to address problems associated with union-led learning.

Opportunity knocks? The possibilities and levers for improving job quality

This article focuses on demands and interventions to improve or maintain job quality. There is a need for better understanding of what can be done, by whom, and with what impacts. The article provides a framework for reflection focused on interventions within and outwith the workplace. Drawing on secondary data, it outlines the renewed policy and academic interest in job quality, examines the multilevel reasons for intervention and the factors that shape this intervention, and evaluates the loci of intervention. On the basis of the evidence to date, it argues that there is scope for intervention and that intervention can be effective.

“Labouring to learn”: organisational learning and mutual gains

Research on organisational learning is limited in three ways; in terms of the type of organisation and the type of employees which are seen to benefit from a learning culture; and in terms of the consensual assumptions made about the nature of learning within the workplace, assumptions which contradict the reality of the workplace for most people. Other researchers have attempted to form a typology of learning; they are narrowly constructed and often internal to the enterprise; learning is often de‐contextualised from other organisational processes. In response to these criticisms, we have framed and measured a holistic concept of learning that more readily takes account of organisational context. This paper presents data on learning within two traditional companies operating in the food and drinks sector. In particular it is concerned with long‐term organisational learning in light of discussions of the mutual gains workplace, reflecting more general concerns about organisational behaviour.

Employer choice and job quality : workplace innovation, work redesign and employee perceptions of job quality in a complex healthcare setting

This article examines employer choice in relation to job quality (JQ). Acknowledging the important role of market, institutional, and technological constraints, the authors highlight the role of employer agency in shaping JQ by reporting on an employer-led service redesign initiative in hospital pharmacy services in Scotland. This redesign initiative aimed at upskilling employees and redirecting their work effort toward high value-added, patient-facing work using robotics implementation. The article provides a critical assessment of the success of the initiative in enhancing JQ and explores a range of factors constraining and shaping employers’ JQ choices.