Decent Work and Economic Growth: behind every business, someone's first job

Behind every business here, there's someone's first job, someone's second chance, someone learning at their own speed. The way we treat the people who work for us is the way visitors end up being treated too.

What a good place to work looks like, and why it shows on the other side of the counter. 

Why good jobs matter to a visitor economy

Tourism and hospitality give a huge number of people their start. A Saturday job in a café or behind a bar. A first season on the river thanks to a placement that turns into a career. Whether those jobs are good ones - fairly paid, properly trained, genuinely welcoming - shapes who stays in the area and who leaves.

It shows. Staff who feel respected stay longer, know more and look after guests better. Good work isn't a cost of doing business here. It's one of the things visitors come back for, whether or not they notice it.

What is UN Sustainable Development Goal 8, Decent Work and Economic Growth?

Fair pay, real training, workplaces where everyone has a chance and growth that doesn't cost the landscape we depend on. The United Nations calls it Sustainable Development Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, one of six goals Visit Dean Wye partners champion.

First steps for an employer

• Pay at least the legal rate for every age band: National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage, seasonal staff included
• Hire locally, and welcome people who often get overlooked
• Partner with local schools and colleges on placements, apprenticeships and green skills
• Offer clear progression, flexible working where you can, and ongoing training
• Be open about how you treat your team - it's a selling point

Choose a goal

Find your first step. Make it a good place to work.

• Choose your goal
• Tell us your first step: Marketing@visitdeanwye.co.uk

Choose another goal

The six goals Visit Dean Wye partners champion. Each one has its own three-minute film and a list of first steps.

• No Poverty
• Affordable and Clean Energy
• Responsible Consumption and Production
• Life Below Water
• Life on Land
• Back to the Sustainable Tourism hub