Abstract
With the retail industry being a significant contributor to overall economic growth, exploring the working conditions of individuals working in this sector has become essential to the overall growth of the economy. Previous research on the clothing retail sector, focused on the operations of the sector thus neglecting the experiences of the workers. The quality of jobs has deteriorated as the industry consists of a workforce that is divided into permanent and contractual workers who are presented with varying workplace benefits such as low wages, fewer workplace benefits, and job insecurity. Majority of workers in the retail industry have experienced marginalisation and have found themselves settling for employment that fails to adhere to decent work standards, with the aim to provide for themselves and their families. Research on the psychological perspectives of decent work, is currently underdeveloped as the majority of the research used to compile the Decent Work Agenda, is grounded on economic indicators, hence overlooking the subjective experiences of individuals. Due to inadequate research on the conceptualisation of decent work from an individual’s perspective, the main research objective of the study was to explore the subjective experiences of sales assistants in relation to decent work and how they differ based on the type of the store, using the following sub research objectives: exploring the experiences of sales assistants in relation to the remuneration they receive for their labour in the clothing retail sector in Gauteng; examine the health care benefits provided to sales assistants in the clothing retail sector by their respective organisations; determining whether there is an alignment between the subjective values held by sales assistants in the clothing retail sector as well as those promoted by their respective organisations; exploring how sales assistants experience physical and interpersonal safety while working in clothing retail stores in Gauteng and gaining insights on whether sales assistants experience adequate rest and free time while working in clothing retail stores.
The study consisted of 12 sales assistants working in both privately owned clothing boutiques and established clothing retailers in Gauteng, South Africa. The qualitative research approach was used to get an understanding of how sales assistants interpret their working conditions in relation to the five decent work constructs. The phenomenological research strategy was utilised to describe the lived experiences of multiple sales assistants in relation to how they experience decent work. Semi structured interviews were conducted as a data collection method to encourage the sales assistants to talk at length about their lived experiences of decent work. A thematic analysis
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was conducted to analyse the data in relation to the five decent work constructs, which are adequate remuneration, adequate rest and free time, access to health care and healthcare benefits, the alignment of organisational values to personal values as well as the presence of physical and interpersonal safety.
Gleaned from the studies results, the following themes emerged for the experience of decent work among sales assistants:
1.
Experience their remuneration as inadequate,
2.
Are provided with healthcare access and its related benefits such as a medical aid and a first aid kit,
3.
Have values which are aligned to those of their respective organisations.
4.
Experienced their work activities as physically safe.
5.
Are presented with inadequate rest and free time.
The study contributes to literature by providing unique insights on the differences and similarities on the remuneration, rest and free time, alignment of organisational values to individual values, the physical and interpersonal safety, the healthcare access and its related benefits provided to sales assistants working in established clothing retailers and in privately owned clothing boutiques from a qualitative perspective. The study also identifies the decent work aspects that need improvement which could assist with the retainment of sales assistants thus contributing to the improvement of the clothing retail industry’s operations and the sales assistants’ wellbeing.
Keywords: Decent work, Psychology of Work Theory, Experiences, Sales assistants, Clothing retail industry, Adequate remuneration, Gauteng, South Africa.