• Work at a donkey shelter
• Hotel housekeeping and wellbeing
• Job satisfaction and turnover intentions
• Experiences of slaughterhouse workers

Work at a donkey shelter

Researcher: Jelle Wiering

This case study focuses on a Dutch donkey shelter to explore the entanglements between dirty work and meaningful work. The findings gathered in this project highlight the need to further explore the social context in which meaningful work experiences occur. At the donkey shelter, the donkey caretakers are continuously navigating a ‘web of meanings’, which consists of various interpretations of meaningful work circulating at the shelter and beyond. The gathered findings suggest that dirt, and particularly how it is engaged with, might be an understudied factor that explains why work is experienced as meaningful or not. This observation about the relationship between dirt and meaningful experiences signifies a largely unexplored relationship, which might help researchers understand how and when meaningfulness in work is experienced.

Hotel housekeeping and wellbeing

Researchers: Chih-Chen Trista Lin & Maartje Roelofsen

Cleaning rooms and common spaces in hotels is crucial work. Housekeeping is important for the aesthetic appeal of a hotel and ensures the safety, comfort, and hygiene of its spaces. Despite the importance of housekeeping, the number of housekeepers does not match the demand for this kind of work. There is more demand than there are workers. In this study we would like to understand how hotel housekeepers experience their work and the workplace. The purpose of this study is first and foremost to understand how hotel housekeeping work affects workers’ wellbeing both in the workplace and more generally in their daily life. Further, we explore what resources, services and support are needed for hotel housekeeping workers’ wellbeing. With this study, we aim to contribute to the understanding of occupational, health and social inequalities related to wellbeing at work, and potential opportunities to improve workers’ wellbeing.

Job satisfaction and turnover intentions

Researcher: Luuk Mandemakers

This project applies an occupational and work group perspective to job satisfaction and turnover intentions of employees in the so-called ‘dirty work’ occupations. This is important, because these employees are often neglected in research on job satisfaction but are often amongst those experiencing the most unsustainable forms of employment in sectors with the largest labor shortages. Departing from the influential model of Ashforth and Kreiner (1999) , this study assesses whether workgroup cultures (i.e., co-worker and manager interactions, team cohesion and occupational identity), job demands (i.e., perceived discrimination, work intensity and job security) and job resources (i.e., social support, autonomy and flexibility) affect job satisfaction and turnover intentions of employees whose work is associated with the so-called ‘dirty work’. Data were collected among ~1100 employees, including the occupations of nurses, care workers, conductors, engine drivers, welfare workers, underwater welders, child-care staff, service employees, mechanics and special investigation officers. Results show that positive co-worker and manager interactions, perceived discrimination and job insecurity are important drivers of job (dis)satisfaction and turnover intentions among these employees.

Experiences of slaughterhouse workers

Researchers: Leander van der Meij, Heleen Pennings, & Alexandra Rijke

This case study examines the experiences of slaughterhouse employees in the Netherlands, investigating the unique demands of their work. While many individuals might avoid the task of slaughtering animals and processing their carcasses, this work remains essential to sustain the meat consumption that is prevalent in society. Through in-depth interviews with slaughterhouse workers, we aim to gain insights into their perspectives on their roles. Following these interviews, we will conduct a comprehensive questionnaire to broaden our understanding. Our research will explore the specific challenges these workers encounter and the strategies they employ to manage them. Additionally, we will analyze their experiences through the lens of the “dirty work” perspective as outlined in existing literature.