Abstract
This chapter provides a deeper insight into the work environment of the UK local government organisation in North West of England that embraced the New Public Management ideology that focused on cost minimisation and enhanced service delivery. The researcher observations of the work environment and the social actors within the organisation, along with the documentary analysis of HRM, well-being, and White Paper policies and government documents provided relevant ‘trivia’ or details that helped to construct the story of the working life realities of managers and employees of this public sector organisation. Central themes of a ‘controlled and tense’ working environment as well as a perceived ‘lack of trust’ between the employer and employees emerged as salient.
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Notes
- 1.
Redeployment policy, recruitment and selection, training and development, communication strategy, partnership working, rewards, work-life balance, stress management, sickness absent management, and wellness initiatives.
- 2.
This is one of carrying on as before, with personnel policies centring around administrative efficiency and cost minimisation. This may be selected because it is considered to be working effectively because the external pressures are not sufficiently strong to merit a reappraisal or because the company lacks the resources to know-how to try anything else (Guest 1990).
- 3.
To achieve a cleaner, greener, safer, stronger borough for the local community through promoting a strong and responsible economy, safe and healthy communities, protecting and promoting the environment and heritage, developing learning communities, improve performance.
- 4.
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999; Provision or use of work equipment regulations 1998; Manual handling operations regulations 1992; Personal protective equipment at work regulations 1992; Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992; The work at height regulations 2005; heat stress in the workplace; preventing slips and trips at work; workplace transport safety, etc. (HSE 2007a).
- 5.
Discrimination law covering harassment 2006; Employment Rights Act 1996; Health and Safety Act 1974; Human Rights Act 1998; Protection from Harassment Act 1997; Breach of Contract; and Common Law rights to take care of the safety of workers.
- 6.
Obvious bullying involves using strength and power to coerce other by fear, attempting to make others toe the line by singling out, demeaning and devaluing, a culture that endorses a ‘macho’ style management, never listening to another’s point of view, etc.
- 7.
Making life difficult for those who have the potential to do the job better than the bully does, deliberately ignoring or excluding individuals from activities, keeping individuals in their place by blocking their promotion, refusing to delegate because bullies feel they can’t trust anyone but themselves, etc.
- 8.
The Council embarked on a number of initiatives designed to increase the well-being of all its employees: a healthcare scheme entitled ‘healthsure’; facilities for hearing loss; the launching of a well-being awareness campaign called ‘healthwise challenge’; an Internet survey used to raise awareness promote and monitor awareness of physiotherapy services, smoking cessation, etc.; daily well-being messages posted on the staff intranet; stepwise competition to predict the number of steps taken weekly; well-being workout that encouraged employees to progress in exercises, healthy eating and stopping for a lunch break; stress busters; fast track physiotherapy service; counselling service; and occupational health services.
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Cvenkel, N. (2020). Well-Being at Work: Understanding Employees Working Life Realities in the Public Sector Context—Observations and Documentary Analysis. In: Well-Being in the Workplace: Governance and Sustainability Insights to Promote Workplace Health . Approaches to Global Sustainability, Markets, and Governance. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-3619-9_6
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