The global care sector stands at a pivotal crossroads, shaped by workforce shortages, digital transformation and increasing cultural diversity. At the recent IHIET-FS 2025 (International Conference on Human Interaction and Emerging Technologies: Future Systems and Artificial Intelligence Applications) Conference at the University of East London, Salford Business School’s Dr Rashed Khan delivered a timely and thought-provoking plenary speech, titled: “Empowering Migrant Care Workers through Emerging Technologies: Bridging Cultural and Digital Gaps in the Global Care Sector.”
About Rashed’s research
In a world where care systems, from the UK to Canada, the Gulf, and beyond, are increasingly reliant on internationally recruited care workers, the need to support those workers goes far beyond onboarding checklists. Rashed highlighted how cultural unfamiliarity, digital exclusion, and workplace isolation often combine to place undue strain on these vital workers.
His message was: if we are to build sustainable care systems, we must first ensure the sustainability of the care workforce, particularly those arriving from overseas. In the UK, for instance, where health and social care providers face chronic staff shortages, overseas recruitment has become essential. However, without the right tools for digital upskilling and cultural adaptation, retention and wellbeing suffer, undermining both care quality and continuity.
Could emerging technologies be the solution?
Rashed presented a compelling solution space: emerging technologies that are not just efficient, but inclusive by design.
He showcased tools such as:
- AI (artificial intelligence)-powered translation and communication apps
- VR (virtual reality) simulations for cultural immersion and empathy training
- Mobile microlearning platforms in multiple languages
- Digital wellbeing trackers tailored to shift workers in high-pressure care settings
What emerged was a call for human-centred innovation, technology that empowers migrant workers, respects cultural diversity, and enhances the care experience for both the giver and the receiver.
Key takeaways:
- Migrant care workers must navigate three layers of cultural complexity: host country norms, multicultural teams and culturally diverse service users
- Technology can and should be a bridge, not a barrier to better communication, understanding and dignity in care
- Sustainable care systems depend on inclusive workforce development, not just short-term recruitment fixes
Rashed closed his session with a challenge to the audience of researchers, designers and practitioners: “If we want ethical, resilient, and sustainable care systems, we must co-design solutions with migrant care workers, not just for them.”
As global health and care systems continue to digitise and diversify, his message resonated powerfully: tech inclusion is not optional, it’s the foundation of sustainable caregiving in the 21st century.