Social sustainability is the cornerstone of creating workplaces where employees can thrive and feel valued, argues Martyna Śliwa.
When we talk about social sustainability, we're focusing on what makes life good and meaningful for everyone. This includes health and wellbeing, gender equality, education, social equity, political voice, peace and justice, fair income and work, strong networks, and access to essentials like water, food, energy, and housing. In the workplace, social sustainability means creating environments where employees can thrive and feel valued.
Creating a socially sustainable workplace starts with the right mindset. Organisations need to see themselves as a sub-unit of society, responsible for ensuring the society can function well – now and in the future. Here are some key elements to consider:
A pressing challenge for organisations in achieving social sustainability is a resistance to equality, diversity, and inclusivity (EDI). Pushback against EDI efforts can stall progress toward creation of socially sustainable workplaces, which relies heavily on these principles.
Another challenge is the relentless focus on profit maximisation as the most important criterion of organisational performance. Especially during economic downturns, this can sideline social sustainability initiatives. While the pandemic brought positive changes like hybrid working and greater recognition of employees' broader responsibilities, these gains are at risk due to current economic pressures.
Persistent inequalities based on gender, ethnicity, disability, age, and other diversity dimensions directly oppose social sustainability, so inclusivity is essential in creating a socially sustainable workplace. Power dynamics, although not inherently bad, can undermine social sustainability if power is used to result in unfair or exclusionary outcomes.
There’s a two-way relationship between employee commitment and loyalty and social sustainability. If you want to have a socially sustainable workplace (i.e., one in which people are able to achieve a sense of wellbeing, treat each other fairly, respect each other and the organisational objectives they’re working towards), then you need to have committed and loyal employees. If your organisation operates in a way that is conducive to social sustainability, you are more likely to attract employees who will become committed and loyal to the organisation. Setting the right tone in leadership style and action is vital.
HR plays a crucial role in promoting social sustainability. HR professionals need to understand what social sustainability means for the workplace and turn this understanding into specific policies, processes, and training initiatives. By modelling socially sustainable practices and fostering a supportive culture, HR can drive significant progress.
A key recommendation here is to eradicate false dichotomies and contradictions. For example, organisational goals shouldn’t be set in a way that is in conflict with the principles of sustainability. If they currently are, then revise them. Why would an organisation have goals which make it impossible for people to maintain physical and mental health or which make the achievement of gender equality impossible?
Also, remove the false dichotomy between ‘HR departments’ and ‘employees.’ Members of HR departments are also employees and it’s in their interest to build socially sustainable organisations – for their own, their families’ and communities’ sake. Understand that everybody in the organisation (leaders, managers, employees, HR officers etc.) benefits from policies and initiatives which make the organisation more socially sustainable.
Social sustainability efforts are typically aligned with a country's legislation and regulatory frameworks that organisations must follow in their operations. As long as adequate legal and governance provisions are in place, the future of social sustainability in the workplace looks promising.
Organisations can take significant steps towards social sustainability by developing a shared understanding of its benefits, both for individuals and the organisation's bottom line. However, to develop long-term strategies that positively impact social sustainability, organisations need to collaborate with external stakeholders, such as policymakers and other industry organisations, to influence regulations and sectoral norms.