Although important to people’s lives and pockets, work took a back seat in the last UK Government’s policy thinking in recent years. This situation has now changed significantly. The new UK Government has made employment a key policy issue through its Making Work Pay programme, New Deal for Working People and its quick introduction of the Employment Rights Bill. It means that IER’s research is more important than ever.
Supporting employment policy development Staff from IER have been supporting this renewed employment policy development. Some of the recent evidence papers from ReWAGELink opens in a new window, such as the two focused on Work and Wages in Adult Social Care and the Gig Economy, have proved popular resources in Westminster. IER is also developing a new skills classification for the UK Government. With colleagues from Leeds University, IER has also supported the repositioning of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Modernising Employment, now chaired by Corby MP and former Midlands TUC director Lee Barron. With funding from the University of Warwick, IER established a series of Westminster-facing policy incubators, applying our research to help address some of the trickier employment issues such as the ageing workforce and the future of work. Some of the same staff have also been shaping parliamentarian thinking around the use of algorithms at work in Denmark. Early in the year, working with one of our Research Associates, we also hosted a delegation of Egyptian government and higher education officials keen to learn about our labour market analysis expertise. Read MoreLink opens in a new window
Back to Europe In addition, as the new UK Government rekindles its relationship with the EU, 2024 has been a very successful year for IER in terms of securing EU funding for research. IER is now involved in six Horizon Europe projects, for example investigating skill needs, Industry 5.0 and social dialogue. We also have nine other live research projects funded from other sources in the EU examining training funds, atypical employment and the care sector for example. In the UK, we secured our largest ever single research award from the National Institute for Health Research. Partnered by Warwick Medical School and Cardiff and East Anglia universities, the aim is to create healthy jobs. In total, we currently have 33 live research projects.
Staff changes To further our engagement and impact with government - and practitioners - midway through 2024 we were delighted to welcome Gill Dix to IER. Gill joined us after 30 years at Acas. During her last 10 years there, Gill was Head of Workplace Policy, leading an engagement and influencing programme, working in particular with the UK Government’s Department for Business to inform legal and policy changes around employment. She makes a very strong addition to the IER team. In late 2024, we also appointed a new Research Fellow, Gianni Anelli Lopez, who will be joining us in early January. An expert in labour market analysis and Big Data, his PhD involved the extraction from online platforms of data on skills needed in the workplace. Part of his work for IER will be to support our Employment Data Group. Conversely, also at the end of the year, Professor Rob WilsonLink opens in a new window decided to take formal retirement from IER. Rob first joined Warwick as an economics under-graduate in the 1960s and has had a long and very successful career in IER, leading the UK Government funded Working Futures programme for many years and influencing the development of skills forecasting within the UK and right across Europe. Rob will be a big loss to IER, but we anticipate that he will continue to be involved with us in some capacity.
We thank you all We couldn’t do all of this work without our research partners and sponsors. We’d like to thank all of you in the UK and elsewhere for your support. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with you next year. In the meantime, we hope that you have a wonderfully happy and relaxing Festive Season and Hogmanay.
Professor Chris Warhurst, IER Director
IER convened a global skills classification workshop in Venice
IER hosted a significant international workshop on the Classification of Skills at Warwick's Venice campus on November 28-29. The event brought together leading institutions working on skills classification systems, including Jobs and Skills Australia, Employment and Social Development Canada, and the International Labour Office. Read MoreLink opens in a new window
The workshop centred on three key themes: the application of AI tools in developing and updating skills classifications, strategies for user engagement, and the creation of accessible skills information tools. Participants from organisations including TNO Netherlands, the Swedish Employment Service, the World Bank, and UK bodies such as the Gatsby Foundation and Skills England shared insights and best practices. The discussions particularly focused on meeting the needs of diverse users, from employers and job seekers to career advisors and labour market analysts. The IER team, currently developing a Standard Skills Classification for the UK, will release a comprehensive workshop report in the coming weeks.
New ReWAGE report reveals the growing challenge of gig work in the UK
The report, funded by the abrdn Financial Fairness TrustLink opens in a new window, estimates that between 20-25% of the UK workforce is now engaged in precarious forms of employment, including gig work, self-employment, temporary work, agency work, and zero-hours contracts. The cross-institutional team of researchers has put forward twelve comprehensive policy recommendations, including the introduction of a presumption of 'worker status' for gig workers and the creation of a robust labour market inspectorate. These recommendations aim to strengthen workers' rights and improve access to social protections across all forms of precarious employment. The full reportLink opens in a new window and policy briefLink opens in a new window can be accessed at the ReWAGE website.
IER director delivered key international talks on the future of work
IER policy incubator series: shaping the future of work
IER has commenced a series of Future of Work Policy Incubators on hot labour market topics. The first, held recently, concerned workforce ageing and was co-hosted by IER and Phoenix Insights at its offices in London. We were joined by colleagues from Age UK, the Centre for Ageing Better, Demos, the University of Edinburgh, the Fabian Society, the University of Leicester, and the University of Sheffield. The wide-ranging discussion included the situation of older workers in the UK, gaps in public policy focused on extending working lives, and knowledge gaps. The event’s outcomes will be written as a policy brief, which will be disseminated to IER’s network early in the new year. Future topics in our Policy Incubator series include healthy jobs and algorithmic management.
New IER study maps EU skills challenge and policy response
IER's Professor Terence HogarthLink opens in a new window has led a comprehensive study examining EU skills transitions and policy responses. The analysis reveals how digital, green, and demographic transitions are reshaping skill demands across EU Member States whilst evaluating policy frameworks designed to address these changes. Read MoreLink opens in a new window
The study highlights that whilst the EU economy has shown remarkable resilience since the turn of the decade, emerging challenges in skills matching persist. Key findings indicate that the impact of digital and green transitions on employment and skill demands has been relatively modest to date, with workers' skills being augmented rather than substituted. However, the research warns that any acceleration in these transitions could place greater pressure on skills systems across Member States. The study also evaluates the EU's comprehensive policy response, including initiatives like the European Skills Agenda and Individual Learning Accounts, while identifying critical gaps in current approaches. Notably, the research recommends a greater focus on demand-side measures to stimulate employer investment in skills, improved labour market intelligence about skill mismatches, and a clearer definition of green skills requirements. This work contributes to our understanding of future skill needs and policy responses in an evolving European labour market.
The discussion explored innovative approaches to restructuring education systems to facilitate smoother transitions from training to employment whilst supporting long-term economic and social stability through effective upskilling programmes. The online event brought together international experts and stakeholders.
IER expert delivered a lecture on social mobility and graduate employment
IER's Dr Sangwoo LeeLink opens in a new window recently shared his expertise with students at UCL's Institute of Education, delivering a guest lecture that explored the complex relationship between higher education, social mobility, and employment outcomes. Speaking to approximately 80 students enrolled on the "Education for Employment" module, Dr Sangwoo LeeLink opens in a new window examined how higher education serves as a potential catalyst for social mobility in contemporary society. The lecture also highlighted the multifaceted nature of graduate labour market outcomes, moving beyond traditional metrics to encompass broader concepts of job quality. Read MoreLink opens in a new window
Dr Sangwoo LeeLink opens in a new window's presentation sparked engaging discussions on how various dimensions of job quality - including work-life balance, job security and career development opportunities - contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of graduate employment success. Students particularly engaged with the analysis of how different social backgrounds influence career trajectories and access to quality employment opportunities. The session demonstrated the continuing importance of examining graduate outcomes through multiple lenses, reinforcing IER's commitment to advancing understanding of the complex relationships between education, employment, job quality and social mobility.
IER publications in 2024
In 2024, IER demonstrated robust scholarly productivity with 42 publications across multiple formats. The output comprised 14 technical and policy reports, predominantly focusing on good jobs, skills development, and technological impacts on productivity through collaborations with ReWAGE and The Productivity Institute. The year saw the publication of 3 books and 6 book chapters addressing critical topics such as inequalities in later life and European skill needs. The Institute's research reached a wide academic audience through 15 journal articles in prestigious outlets including Work, Employment and Society, International Labor Review, and Socio-Economic Review. Additionally, 4 blog posts were published, discussing emerging themes such as green jobs and labour market information. These publications collectively showcase IER's commitment to producing policy-relevant research across key areas including job quality, platform work, algorithmic management, and the integration of artificial intelligence in workplace practices. The following is the list of publications in 2024: Read MoreLink opens in a new window
Erickson, E., Fourage, D., Hogarth, T., Markowitsch, J., Nyen, T., Unterweger, D. and Wessling, K. (2024). Skills2Capabilities Policy Brief.
Forde, C., Sarter, E.K., Baum, T., Dundon, T., Howcroft, D., Joyce, S., McBride, J., Shildrick, T., Stuart, M., Trappmann, V. Wilson, T. and Wright, S. (2024). Pay and conditions in gig work. Evidence Paper. ReWAGE and Warwick Institute for Employment Research.
Forde, C., Sarter, E.K., Baum, T., Dundon, T., Howcroft, D., Joyce, S., McBride, J., Shildrick, T., Stuart, M., Trappmann, V. Wilson, T. and Wright, S. (2024). Pay and conditions in gig work. Policy Brief. ReWAGE and Warwick Institute for Employment Research.
Bimrose, J., McMahon, M., and Watson, M. (2024). Women and career development. Pretoria, South Africa: Van Schaik. Women and career development. In G.B. Stead & M.B. Watson (Eds.), Career Psychology in the South African Context (4th ed., pp. 185-199).
Forde, C., Sarter, E.K., Baum, T., Dundon, T., Howcroft, D., Joyce, S., McBride, J., Shildrick, T., Stuart, M., Trappmann, V. Wilson, T. and Wright, S. (2024). Pay and conditions in gig work. Evidence Paper. ReWAGE and Warwick Institute for Employment Research.
Book chapters Sarter, E.K. (2024). Öffentliche Auftragsvergabe und Geschlechtergleichstellung in den deutschen Bundesländern. Jahrbuch des Föderalismus. in: Europäisches Zentrum für Föderalismus-Forschung Tübingen (ed.): Jahrbuch des Foederalismus 2024. Baden-Baden: Nomos.
Wright, T., Conley, H. and Sarter, E.K. (2024). Using public procurement to promote equality in employment: assessment of the evidence from Australia, South Africa and the UK. Forson, C., Healy, G., Öztürk, M.B. and Tatli, A. (eds) (2024): Research Handbook on Inequalities and Work. Elgar Handbooks on Inequality. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
Hogarth, T. and Baltina, L. (2024). What is a green job or a green skill? Reflections on measures to assess the impact of the green transition on human capital development. In: Baltina, L. and Hogarth, T. (eds) (2024) Re-thinking Europe’s Skill Needs: Reflections following the European Year of Skills. Rome: Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini.
Haldrup, C., Ilsoe, A. and Larsen, T. P. (2024). With or without algorithms: managing the self-employed in the Danish platform economy. In: W. Conen & E. Reuter (eds) Research Handbook on Self-Employment and Public Policy/ Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
Sarter, E. K. (2024) Public procurement and labour market inequality: conceptualising a multi-faceted relationship. Journal of Industrial Relations, 66(1): 130-152. ISSN 0022-1856.
