New professor to speak about workforce retention in the health and social care sector

Professor Kish Bhatti-Sinclair will be delivering her inaugural lecture at the University of Chichester on Wednesday 24 January 2024 at 6.00 pm, following her promotion to the position of Professor of Social Work and Social Policy.

In her talk, Kish will examine how public sector organisations can retain an experienced workforce in order to meet the daily demands of delivering health and social care services.

She says: “The lecture is based on the interim results of a three-year research project on workforce changes to recruitment and retention involving collaboration with key public-sector organisations.

“The Covid-19 lockdowns enabled periods of reflection, often rooted in direct traumatising grief, which led some workers to say ‘no’ to exploitative working conditions or low wages, and prioritise long-term health and wellbeing.  In parallel, working from home led to a change in social attitudes to the value and perception of ‘work’ undertaken in the ‘workplace’.

“In conclusion, attitudinal changes to the importance of work, by those previously dedicated to professional and vocational occupations such as social workers, residential care staff and nurses, means that employers can no longer rely on personal loyalty.  The challenge is to recapture the bonded attachments to place, team and organisation as well as profession and status.

“In order to attract and keep workers, employers have to ensure that the workplace is perceived as a valuable and cherished lifestyle choice. Managers and leaders need to be able to openly demonstrate the ability to manage crises in bad times and plan ahead in good times with the awareness that no organisation can function effectively when overwhelmed.”

Kish started her academic career as a social work lecturer at the University of Southampton in 1993, before she was appointed Head of Social Work at the University of Chichester in 2012. She is known for her work on social work, race and racism and is particularly interested in ethnically sensitive research methodologies and theories, such as modern racism, which test discriminatory attitudes and behaviours.

All are welcome to attend the event at the University of Chichester, and free tickets can be booked in advance on Eventbrite.