IER Newsletter Aug Sep 2025

IER Newsletter - Aug, Sep 2025

Memorandum of Understanding between IER and the Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development

In early September, the UK and Saudi governments held a joint Great Futures Leadership Summit in London. It was the largest gathering of UK and Saudi Ministers and included the signing of several commercial deals between the UK and Saudi Arabia. One of these deals was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding,Link opens in a new window which involves IER providing research, evaluation, training, and advice to the Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, to support the Saudi Government’s Vision 2030. Read MoreLink opens in a new window

This Vision aims to increase the proportion of Saudis in the labour market, including boosting female employment participation. IER’s input will centre on improving skills analysis and enhancing job quality in Saudi Arabia.

Question Time: The Future of Work

Join us for a Question Time-style event to explore the future of work. Experts from the Faculty of Social Sciences, including the IER, will answer your questions on all things work: What will be the impact of AI and digitalisation on the future of work? Will that future be one of good and healthy jobs for everyone? And will the future of work deliver greater productivity? We invite you to bring your questions on the future of work and be prepared to ask them, but of course, you’re also welcome to join the event to listen only. Our panellists come from a background of employment research, business studies, economics and political theory, and look forward to engaging with your questions.

The event will take place on Wednesday, 05 November, 3.30 – 5.00 pm at the Helen Martin Studio, Arts Centre, University of Warwick campus. Read MoreLink opens in a new window

This event is part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2025. It is organised by the University of Warwick’s Faculty of Social Sciences, the Warwick Institute for Employment Research, and the Big Questions initiative, managed by the Social Sciences Connect Programme and shared by Resonate. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team by emailing ssc@warwick.ac.uk. Find out more details here: Faculty of social sciencesLink opens in a new window, Big questions initiativeLink opens in a new window, Social sciences connect programmeLink opens in a new window, ResonateLink opens in a new window

Expert comments on the latest UK labour market statistics from the Office for National Statistics

IER's Dr Sangwoo LeeLink opens in a new window commented on the latest ONS Labour Market Statistics (May–July 2025), highlighting a complex picture for the UK economy. While the employment rate edged up to 75.2%, unemployment rose to 4.7%, the highest since early 2021, reflecting ongoing structural shifts rather than a simple recovery or downturn. Read MoreLink opens in a new window

Dr Lee notes that payrolled employees fell sharply by 142,000 over the year to July, with a further 127,000 decline by early August, the largest contraction since the pandemic. At the same time, household employment data shows a rise, suggesting a shift toward non-traditional work, such as temporary, contract, and gig roles. Vacancies fell for the 38th consecutive period to 728,000, pushing the unemployed-to-vacancy ratio to 2.3 from 1.5 in 2023. Regular wage growth remains resilient at 4.8%, delivering 0.7% real growth, though prolonged tight monetary policy may be required, with potential rate cuts in 2026 if labour market conditions deteriorate further.

Dr Lee concludes that the most pressing concern is not headline unemployment but weakening job security and benefits coverage. He emphasises that the labour market is undergoing lasting structural changes, which will require updated frameworks and protections for non-traditional workers.

Unemployment protection in changing labour markets

A new book chapter by Sonja Bekker, IER’s Prof Trine LarsenLink opens in a new window, and Janine Leschke examines the challenges of unemployment insurance benefits (UIB) in today’s evolving labour markets. Drawing primarily on examples from European Union countries, the chapter explores how social protection systems can adapt to support all workers. Read MoreLink opens in a new window

The authors highlight that unemployment insurance benefits are typically designed around so-called ‘standard employment.’ Workers who do not fit this model, such as those in temporary, contract, or gig roles, often face insufficient coverage. The flexibilisation of labour markets, accelerated by events such as the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic, has exposed gaps in coverage and inadequacies in benefit levels, particularly for non-standard workers. Despite these challenges, the chapter also points to innovations aimed at making unemployment benefits more inclusive. The authors argue that the future of work will depend on proactive and inclusive support for the unemployed, ensuring that labour market transitions are better managed and more equitable.

IER shares expertise on job quality and skills at national conference

Dr Sangwoo LeeLink opens in a new window was invited to contribute to the high-level policy conference "Reshaping Employment and Skills to Boost Growth, Productivity and Tackle Inequalities" at the University of Essex (17–18 September 2025). The two-day event brought together leading academics, policymakers, employers, and trade unions to debate how to promote good work, address labour market inequalities, and strengthen productivity. Read MoreLink opens in a new window

Dr Lee contributed insights on job quality, decent work, and skill development, drawing on his research into labour market outcomes and inequality. His participation reinforced IER’s role in shaping national debates on the future of work, productivity, and inclusive growth.

Congratulations to our graduating PhD students

Graduation provides a welcome opportunity to reflect on and celebrate the successes of our students. This past academic year, two IER PhD students successfully completed their PhD studies, Dr Andreana GlendinningLink opens in a new window, whose PhD was dedicated to “Investigating barriers to military veterans entering civilian employment with an emphasis on gender and social inequalities”, and Dr Danya NusseirLink opens in a new window, who investigated “The Role of digital literacy in integrating marginalised communities: Arab refugee women in Jordan, Lebanon and the UK” Read MoreLink opens in a new window

We also had the opportunity to belatedly celebrate the graduation of Dr Xiaotong ZhangLink opens in a new window, who, in her PhD, investigated “Agency and structure interaction of female entrepreneurship and self-employment in China”. Congratulations and best wishes! Find out more about our PhD students and their work on our websiteLink opens in a new window.

Congratulations to Hilda Ragnarsdottir on her IAS Early Career Fellowship

Hilda RagnarsdóttirLink opens in a new window, a final year IER PhD student, has been awarded a part-time IAS Early Career Fellowship at the Institute for Advanced Studies at the University of Warwick, starting in October, as she will be submitting her thesis at the end of September. Read MoreLink opens in a new window

During her fellowship, she will build on her PhD and focus on public policy approaches to the technological impact on the future of work. The aim of the fellowship is to write articles and policy briefs on the topic and public engagement with various stakeholders through workshops. Her mentor will be IER director Chris WarhurstLink opens in a new window.

Other publications

Erickson, E., & Hogarth, T. (2025). The road less travelled: The passage towards a market-based apprenticeship system in England. Vocation, Technology & Education. Advance online publication.

Wright, T., Conley, H., Mamode, J. C., & Sarter, E. K. (2025). From social justice to social value: The changing fortunes of using public purchasing for social ends. Public Policy and Administration. Advance online publication.

Whiteside, N. (2025). Le welfare state britannique: le Rapport Beveridge et ses conséquencesLink opens in a new window. Une comparaison Royaume-Uni / France. In C. Andrieu (Ed.), Le Conseil national de la Résistance. Un programme, un compromis (XXe–XXIe siècle) (pp. 186–215). Paris: Folio Gallimard.

Whiteside, N. (2025). Réévaluer l'État-providence britannique: le rapport Beveridge et la politique sociale en métropole et dans l’Empire au lendemain de la guerre. Revue d’histoire de la protection sociale, 18 (forthcoming).

New projects

Improving older patient care through better flow from hospital to adult social careLink opens in a new window

Forward

Institute for Employment Research

University of Warwick

Coventry

Warwick, CV4 7AL

United Kingdom

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