Promoting a hospitality industry free from human trafficking and prostitution – The effects on employees’ work environment

Funded by: BFUF (The R&D Fund of the Swedish Tourism & Hospitality Industry)
Time period: 2020-2021
Project members: Mana Farshid, KTH, Charlotte Holgersson, KTH
Project contact person: 

Background:

Among the United Nation Social Sustainability Goals, goal 5 addresses gender equality, highlighting that all forms of violence against women and girls in the public and private sphere, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation should be eliminated. Also, goal 8 that targets decent work and economic growth, states that forced labor, modern slavery and human trafficking should be eradicated; calling for policies to promote sustainable tourism. In view of these goals as well as legislation regarding prostitution and discrimination in the workplace, it could be argued that Swedish private sector, including the hospitality industry, should be actively fighting human trafficking and sexual exploitation.

Research has identified hotels as a venue particularly at risk for human trafficking. The occurrence of human trafficking and prostitution and other forms of sexual exploitation can be regarded as a workplace issue. An important component of service delivery tasks involves employees performing emotional labor, that is adapting to feeling rules in order to generate desired reactions from customers. These rules have negative effects on occupational health, in particular for women since the face disproportionate expectations of providing attention and care. This puts employees in a vulnerable position, exposing them to different forms of sexual exploitation. Thus employers in the hospitality industry can provide a safe and secure work environment by counteracting human trafficking and prostitution. From the employee’s perspective, this may be perceived as a positive and protective measure that potentially can make them feel more engaged with the organization and feel proud of their job which can also result in improved and efficient work performance.

In Sweden, nonprofit organizations have conducted projects to raise awareness among business organizations, including the hospitality industry, and to support them in work for change. The purpose of this study is to explore such actions taken by hotels against human trafficking and prostitution and other forms of sexual exploitation in order to understand in what way this work affects the work environment and engagement among different categories of employees. The empirical data will be collected in collaboration with the nonprofit organization Real Stars and hotels that have taken action to counteract the occurrence of human trafficking and prostitution and other forms of sexual exploitation. The project aims to document the effect of this ‘work for change’ on the different categories of employees in their everyday work. More specifically, the objectives of the study can be formulated with the following operationalization: What kind of ‘work for change’ has been done towards hotels free from human trafficking and prostitution? How is this ‘work for change’ perceived by different employee categories? What are the consequences for employee’s work environment and employee engagement?

By framing trafficking and prostitution and other forms of sexual exploitation as organizational phenomena, this study contributes to the understudied field of research exploring the linkages between subordinate sexual organizations, where sexuality is not the main aim of the organization, and sexploitation organizations, where sexuality is indeed part of the main aim. By studying work for change to counteract the occurrence of human trafficking and prostitution and other forms of sexual exploitation in hotels, the study also answers to calls on more research on diversity management and CSR in relation to sexual exploitation. Moreover, by relating this type of ’work for change’ to employees work environment and engagement, the study will contribute to the literature on employer branding. In terms of contributions to practice, the study will provide knowledge about the design, challenges and opportunities of this type of ’work for change’.

Project website: bfuf.se/projekt/promoting-a-hospitality-industry-free-from-human-trafficking-and-prostitution-the-effects-on-employees-work-environment/