Shaping equitable workplaces

We are confronted with a multitude of interconnected global challenges with far-reaching consequences on the lives of individuals, families, and communities, as well as on businesses, organisations, and governments.

As we navigate an era marked by growing precarity, anxiety and complexity, the likelihood of crises has increased exponentially, exacerbating existing inequalities and poverty, fuelling geo-political tensions, political unrest and social conflict. In such a hyperconnected global context, the rapid growth of technological innovations, the expansion of corporate capitalism, and the rising influence of right-wing groups are further eroding social cohesion and solidarity.

Now more than ever, businesses and organisations have a significant role to play in mitigating these challenges by promoting social justice and fairness within workplaces and beyond, by embracing sustainable management practices, promoting innovation towards equity and justice, fostering global cooperation, community development and solidarity, as well as encouraging inclusion and diversity.

Of relevance within this theme are two broad conceptual areas:

1. The first area focuses on intersectional research exploring and conceptualising inclusive workplaces by examining how policies, organisational practices, and cultural changes can promote fairness and justice within business and management. This focus includes investigating the impact of equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and how working practices challenge or reproduce existing social discriminations. These affect certain social groups because of their multiple identities, age, race, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or socio-economic situation. REEF is focused on providing academic research and engagement with practitioners, encompassing (but not limited to) studies on the inclusion/exclusion of migrant workers (including refugees and asylum seekers), the fair treatment of members of the LGBTQ+ community, and gender-based discriminations within businesses and organisations. Moreover, our research interests include the impact of precarity on workers within organisations and the possibilities for change through alternative organising.
2. A second area explores the possibilities and pitfalls of building alternative careers, exploring how doing careers differently. This encompasses the examination of unconventional working practices that challenge dominant assumptions of established career norms and trajectories by emphasising career relationality, creativity, playfulness, and experimentation. There is an oppressive and exclusionary side to careers that becomes particularly prominent in challenging times. Where what is recognised as success is normalised by those in positions of power and privilege. This conceptual area reaches to the core of the OU social mission as an educational institution that makes a meaningful difference to the careers and lives of those pursuing non-traditional paths through life.

In times of excessive emphasis on productivity, efficiency, and competition, alternative careers can become a solution to the suffering related to unsustainable and unhealthy expectations and workloads, and as tools that can challenge exclusion and othering.