Highlighting the Accomplishments of our Worker Council
Over the course of 2022, Turning Basin Labs partnered with Jobs for the Future, who was deeply engaged throughout, to establish a Worker Council, consisting of 10 frontline retail and manufacturing workers (“Worker-Experts”).
The goal of the Worker Council was to explore new practices and policies that could potentially alter power structures and give workers more agency and voice in the workplace. Turning Basin Lab’s primary mission was to source the 10 Worker-Experts and co-design, launch, and support the Worker Council.
In February 2023, the Worker Council culminated with an event in which they were brought together with leaders of national retail and food service corporations. The event was formatted as “Discovery Interviews” – the Worker-Experts prepared questions to ask the corporate leaders and then facilitated a discussion on key issues. The Worker-Experts decided on three main topics to discuss with corporate leaders: Compensation, Power Dynamics, and Communication. Four corporate leaders attended the event.
The Worker-Experts prepared for weeks for the Discovery Interviews. During this time, they gained confidence in advocating for their issues and in public speaking through regular coaching and instruction. We also arranged two sessions with the Worker-Experts and subject-matter experts Tom Kochan, professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management, and Joel Gershenfeld, professor at the Brandeis University Heller School for Social Policy and Management. These sessions provided a deep dive into how to frame conversations with employers.
Prior to the event, the Worker-Experts were divided into three groups based on their interest in the topics. Each group met on their own to come up with specific discussions and questions they wanted to address in the Discovery Interviews. An individual was selected for each group who would share a story of how they have been personally affected, in order to better frame the issues for the corporate leaders. After nine months of working together, this was their opportunity to voice their thoughts and concerns to someone who might be in a position of power to change things. There was excitement about simply being heard. As one said, "I've learned that I do have a breadth and depth of experience that is meaningful just by way of sharing it."
In the lead-up to the Discovery Interviews, there was uncertainty about how productive a conversation could be had regarding compensation. Ultimately, the Compensation Team was able to come up with a holistic set of questions on the theme of compensation that were well received by corporate experts: how they have advocated for higher compensation, what kind of internal discussions has their organization held, and how can corporations be mindful of the intersection of compensation and mental health.
The Communication Team facilitated a discussion on the importance of two-way communication between management and workers. They asked corporate leaders about how to ensure strong communication within teams, how to provide feedback to team members effectively, and how communication can make a difference in resolving a problem or exacerbating it.
The Power Dynamics Team focused on how managers can create a culture that promotes equity and belonging. Their questions included how to center worker voice in scheduling and other decisions, how to give managers the tools and training to respond to the needs of their workforce, and how to maintain transparency within an organization.
Some learnings that came out of the discussions included:
The importance of networking and mentorship as key supports for frontline workers – having someone for workers to rely on who is not their manager.
Feedback loops – whenever there is a decision to be made or initiative to be planned, involving worker feedback before, during, and after.
The need for employers to consider the full picture of a worker’s life, from transportation to housing, mental health, and career navigation.
For example, when proposing a new store location, considering how accessible it is to people as far as transportation.
The importance of knowing people outside of the team one is working on.
Having mentors who are higher up in the organization would encourage employees and workers to want to stay and climb the corporate ladder, which would increase retention and morale.
A need to improve how corporations are providing real-time feedback.
Companies have evaluations and reviews, but they need to find ways to get employees and managers together on a regular basis to provide feedback.
The value in spending time with workers to create trust
Navigating decentralized spaces – what happens when you have multiple stores, and how do corporations create a unique experience while having consistency?
An intersectional issue that all three teams touched on was how corporations might be open to finding out what services workers need and letting workers know about services that are available. Workers often do not know what resources their employer is offering or why they are valuable; even then, they do not always have the time or comfort to consider using these services. The Worker Experts highlighted the difference in providing workers access to services, as opposed to meeting workers where they are. For example, we found that many workers do not have access to email; one challenge for corporations is finding ways to speak to workers about accessing resources when they do not have email addresses or cannot be reached on the job. For corporate leaders who usually sit at their desks most of the day, they must be creative in finding ways of reaching different audiences.
One corporate leader shared that printing has been a great resource; posting printed materials relating to housing, mental health, and other supports has been effective in reaching workers. Another shared that they have been using digital tools more creatively to share resources, specifically investing in tools such as mobile applications to capitalize on workers’ phones. Corporate leaders and Worker Experts also discussed best practices to ensure workers are being invested in while they are on the clock, as opposed to requiring that workers access resources in their free time. Occasionally having someone in the lunchroom who is accessible and can direct services to workers, or having a way to contact them when not physically available, was a popular idea. Putting a face behind the resources can be helpful for workers. This could help with filtering and applying information as relevant to individuals or groups of people in specific work assignments. One Worker Expert proposed the idea of a regional “Well-Being Coach” – someone who rotates around stores to get an understanding of local needs and feelings.
The Worker-Experts adeptly facilitated each of the three Discovery Interview conversations. It was rewarding for all of us to see their months of preparation, research, and training come to fruition.
Reflecting on what they had gained from the project, one Worker-Expert stated, “I found my voice. My experiences matter.” We at TBL are incredibly proud of the accomplishments of the Worker-Experts, and we look forward to seeing how we can continue to highlight the findings of this Worker Council to improve the practices and policies of employers across the country.
