Social audits are critical for ensuring compliance with ethical and labour standards in the workplace, particularly in sectors like agriculture, because of their high dependence on the labour force. One of the key components of a successful social audit is the process of interviewing employees. According to guidelines from the Association of Professional Social Compliance Auditors (APSCA) and the SIZA Audit Process and Methodology, how auditors conduct interviews can have a lasting impact on workers and employers. The key lies in conducting interviews effectively without damaging the trust and relationship between workers and their employers.
Understanding workers’ perspectives on issues such as wages, working hours, safety, and management practices is crucial for social auditors to assess compliance with established standards and laws. To obtain these valuable insights, auditors should always follow a structured approach.
· Building Trust for Honest Response: The core objective of conducting employee interviews is to gather accurate, honest feedback on the working environment and practices. Workers are more likely to share their true opinions when they feel safe and confident that the interview will be confidential and non-judgmental. As auditors, reassuring employees that their responses will not negatively affect their employment status or relationship with management is essential. APSCA guidelines emphasise creating an environment of trust to ensure that workers are open about any challenges or concerns, which ultimately supports a more accurate and comprehensive audit.
· Understanding the Work Environment: Interviews give auditors a detailed picture of the work environment. They can uncover areas where management may be unaware of problems or gaps in policy enforcement, such as safety hazards, insufficient training, or issues with working hours. Without effective interviews, these issues might go unnoticed, leading to an inaccurate audit and missed opportunities for improvement.
How to Ensure Interviews Do Not Damage Employer-Employee Relationships?
Conducting interviews in a manner that doesn’t harm the relationship between workers and employers is a delicate process. Auditors must follow best practices to ensure that their interviews have a positive, rather than negative, impact on the organisation and its workers. Below are some strategies to achieve this:
1. Body Language
One of the most critical factors is non-verbal communication, especially body language. Auditors must ensure they are aware of how they are perceived when conducting interviews, especially with workers. Cultural sensitivities and interpretations differ significantly across South Africa and can impact how an individual perceives the auditor. For example, in certain cultures, it will be disrespectful to use direct eye contact, and auditors should be sure to be aware of these realities. When an auditor is also tired, their body language could reflect this, which could be perceived as not being interested or serious. Therefore, the auditor should be self-aware and ensure they appropriately project themselves.
2. Confidentiality and Anonymity
One of the most important principles in social auditing is ensuring confidentiality. APSCA’s guidelines clarify that auditors must emphasise that interviews are confidential and that the information shared will not be used against the workers in any way. Workers should be encouraged to express their concerns freely without fear of retribution. Ensuring that workers feel their responses are anonymous and that no personal or identifying information will be shared with the employer helps to prevent fear of reprisal. In practice, auditors should conduct interviews in private settings away from supervisors or managers, assuring workers that their input will remain confidential.
3. Neutrality and Objectivity
Auditors must remain neutral during interviews, avoiding any indication of bias or judgment. Workers may hesitate to speak freely if they perceive that auditors have preconceived ideas about the employer or the situation. Following APSCA’s code of conduct, auditors must create an environment where workers feel their feedback is considered objectively and not influenced by external pressures. This neutrality reassures workers that the audit is designed for constructive feedback and continuous improvement.
4. Never Pressure Employees
Effective auditors avoid pressuring workers for specific answers. Instead, they should use open-ended questions to allow employees to provide a full picture of their experiences. APSCA recommends that auditors employ interview techniques that enable workers to speak freely without feeling pushed toward a particular response. For example, phrases like, “Can you tell me more about this?” or “What’s been your experience with…?” encourage dialogue without leading the conversation in a particular direction.
5. Clear Communication with Management
Before conducting interviews, auditors should inform management about the process and goals of the social audit. This communication can help foster a more positive environment during and after the interviews. Employers who understand the audit’s purpose are more likely to see it as a valuable tool for improving workplace conditions and fostering trust with workers rather than as a negative or adversarial process.
6. The role of management during worker interviews
When considering social audits, one often assumes that interviews are only relevant to the workforce. However, the role management plays during these interviews is also very important. Management must ensure they do not prohibit the interview process or coach workers on what to say during interviews. The purpose of the interviews is to gain an understanding of what workers feel and are experiencing, which provides management with insights into their management practices. This is all aimed at driving continuous improvement and mitigating risks that may exist in the business.
The ultimate goal of a social audit should be to create lasting improvements, not just for compliance but also for the relationship between workers and management. Some ways it can help are to ensure better open and honest dialogue between management and employees, more effective grievance mechanisms, and a culture of trust and continuous improvement.
Building effective trust and communication with employees is not always easy; therefore, auditors and businesses play a crucial role in driving and enhancing this. SIZA, in partnership with Procare, offers a course that businesses can implement to drive a more effective dialogue, grievance system, and relationship building in their business. If interested, you can learn more about the When Grievances Becomes Good Practice training course and reach out!
