Worker Surveys Improve Migrant Worker Safety in Thailand, Singapore + Malaysia Food Sector

A Labor Solutions Case Study

A global food sourcing and production company with suppliers operating in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore all with many migrant workers, sought to conduct a global worker survey to pinpoint areas for action and improve worker engagement, particularly amongst migrants.

The Challenges

Migrant Workers Were Not Being Heard

The company wanted to better understand the needs of migrant workers. Despite a large number of migrant workers, the company received no reports from migrant workers on the grievance mechanism the company had established. Migrant workers are often at higher risk for forced labor and exploitation and the lack of feedback from the workers was concerning. The company wanted to ensure migrant workers were being treated with respect, being paid fairly and felt safe at work.

The company had conducted surveys before but failed to drive value from them because the surveys lacked standardization across geographies and languages and had no follow up action guidelines.

Workers in these facilities faced literacy challenges. While, the workers all had primary schooling, it was clear the workers would struggle to fully understand complex survey questions. A small proportion of workers either did not have phones or did not use the internet on their phones.

Solution

Surveys Designed for Migrant Worker Realities

Inclusive Survey Design

Labor Solutions conducted a WELL Survey designed for both national and migrant workers, selecting indicators aligned with migrant worker experiences.

Multilingual and Context-Specific Deployment

Surveys were translated by worker rights experts into Khmer, Thai, Burmese, and Malay to ensure accessibility and comprehension.

Engaging Suppliers + Supporting Suppliers to Engage Workers

We implemented via WOVO, which allowed suppliers to access their own data sets but also deploy additional surveys if needed.

Multiple Access Channels

Surveys were delivered through QR codes and onsite deployment, allowing workers to participate using personal phones or with additional support where needed.

Survey Results

High Response Rates, Risks Uncovered

Strong Participation Across Facilities

Nearly 60% of workers responded to the survey, far more than is necessary for a statistically relevant sample size, sending a strong signal that workers want to be heard.

Compliance Strengths Confirmed

The survey results were mixed. All facilities received high scores on basic-compliance topics like correct pay and payslip, receipt of health and safety training and ability to take leave when they wanted.

Systemic Overtime Pressure Identified

However, most workers, 85%, reported that they didn’t feel like they had a choice if they worked overtime, and that they didn’t feel like management made changes based on worker feedback.

Impact

Turning Worker Voice into System-Level Change

Stronger Buyer–Supplier Dialogue

Survey findings prompted open discussions between buyers, suppliers, managers, and workers—surfacing issues that had never previously been discussed.

Clearer Expectations for Migrant Worker Protections

The buyer discovered gaps in how expectations were communicated to suppliers and responded by updating purchasing contracts and delivering targeted trainings.

Policy and Management Gap Analysis

A gap analysis was initiated to identify where additional policy clarity and management support were needed.

Aligning Incentives with Fair Work

Unequal Experiences Across Worker Levels

Line leaders reported having a choice about overtime, while line workers overwhelmingly did not—revealing inconsistencies in how targets were experienced.

Incentives Driving Unintended Pressure

Further investigation showed that line leaders were positively incentivized through bonuses, while line workers faced wage penalties for missed targets.

Reforming Targets and Incentives

The buyer worked with suppliers to redesign incentive structures so both leaders and workers were positively motivated—an ongoing process showing early positive results.

Strengthening Worker Representation and Grievance Resolution

Underutilized Worker Committees

Although worker committees existed at all facilities, they were under-resourced and under-trained, limiting their ability to advocate effectively.

Upskilling Workers and Management

Targeted training was provided to worker committees and management teams to strengthen participation in grievance remediation and decision-making.

Why It Matters

Insights Audits Missed

Worker Voice Revealed What Audits Could Not

Despite more than a decade of audits, these issues had never been identified until workers were directly asked in a safe, accessible way.

A Foundation for Continuous Improvement

Both buyers and suppliers reported greater clarity, stronger engagement, and committed to conducting worker surveys annually going forward.

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