Dignity and decency at work - the invisible and unrecognised workers in hotel housekeeping

This study focuses on hotel housekeeping staff who, to a large extent, are women and (new) migrants with limited possibilities of influence over their own work and overall work-life situation.

The study will develop new knowledge on possibilities for wellbeing, secure and safe working environments for housekeeping staff at hotels in Sweden through qualitative research.

We approach our research from a gender perspective that considers a wider intersectional perspective of power relations and intersections of hierarchies in workplaces as well as wider society.

The aim of this study is to analyse and understand the work-life situation and the experienced work environment including power relations and gendered practices of housekeeping staff at hotels.

We focus on dignity and decent work through a theoretical lens of embodied labour and embodied intersectionality, concepts that are also used as a principle guiding our methodological design for empirical data collection through two phases of qualitative methods.

Phase one will consist of semi-structured interviews with housekeeping- and hotel managers as well as housekeeping contractors focusing on leadership, work development, legislation, dignity and digitalisation of work processes. Phase two will involve participant observation where the researchers will actively engage in working with participants.

This method allows researchers to gain trust through observing actions and body language and ensuring greater insight into working practices through embodied experiences.

Finding solutions on how to overcome work environment issues in hotel housekeeping has wider implications for other occupations and societal interactions.

Therefore, the project will include an industry-led reference group and international research collaborations to ensure ethical practice and relevant, beneficial findings.