Reshaping Employment Relations in the UK Voluntary Sector: an Exploratory Study into the Impact of Best Value

Abstract

This paper provides exploratory insights into the impact of the UK government's Best Value policy on employment policies in voluntary organisations. Best Value is one of a number of institutional pressures on HR policies within the sector: many of which have positive implications for the conduct of HR and delivering care. However, the data also reveal tensions in this institutional environment with regard to meeting demands of twenty-four hour care and family-friendly policies for the workforce. Moreover, continuation of aspects of the New Public Management agenda within Best Value means that pressure on pay and conditions in the sector persist, raising concerns regarding worker morale and quality of care.

Key Words:

• Somorphism
• competition
• contracting
• pay and conditions
• work intensification

Acknowledgement

The author would like to thank the anonymous referees for useful comments in drafting this paper and the Carnegie Trust for part funding this project.

Notes

1 In the post-devolutionary UK political system, Scotland introduced Best Value as a recommendation, although the objectives of the policy remained broadly the same across the UK.

2 See Alatrista and Arrowsmith (2004) for a study of the impact of poor pay on employee commitment in the sector.