Workplaces: the human environment where we spend the majority of our lives

Emma Bland, Associate Professor at the ECEHH, talked about the genesis of The Inclusivity Project, and the unique combination of expertise from both the University of Exeter’s schools of health and business that supported it.

We looked at workplace inclusion from different angles. 

Dr. Daniel Derbyshire was our Behavioural Economics researcher. 

Unconsious Bias against older and disabled people at work

Behavioural economics is about using insights from a wide range of fields – psychology, neuroscience, cognitive science – to improve our understanding of human behaviour and, ultimately, the economy.”

Dan’s research focused on measuring, and then finding solutions for, discrimination (often unintended bias) against older and disabled people within the recruitment process.

Dr Daniel Derbyshire

Research Fellow, University of Exeter

Dr. Esmaeil Khedmati-Morasae works in the field of systems thinking. 

Changing the system to close the employment gaps

“An ant colony is a good example of a complex system. 

“A complex system is an entity made up of lots of interacting ‘agents’. For The Inclusivity Project, the agents could be people, and they could also be governments or social institutions, as these also have the power to influence other agents.

Esmaeil’s research takes an overview of the employment gap for older and disabled people, mapping the entire system and the knock-on effects of one part of the system on another.

Dr Esmaeil Khedmati-Morasae

Research Fellow, University of Exeter

Research

Dr. Lucy Szaboova and Dr. Emmylou Rahtz have undertaken qualitative research.

Resilience in times of shock

Older female workers

Dr. Susan Reh and Prof. Victoria Tischler from the University of Exeter explored concerns around work and wellbeing, in particular in the context of older female workers.

ESF workshop illustration

They organized two workshops with participants across various countries in Europe on Sustainable Workplaces and the Wellbeing of Older Female Workers in Europe. This led to a review of literature that will appear in the forthcoming text: Sustainable Work in Europe (Peter Lang).