The Work Foundation News and Blogs

WorkWorld Media Awards 2010 - call for entries

Gideon Benari — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Submissions are now invited for the 2010 WorkWorld Media Awards. The call for entries is open until 12 noon on Monday 1 November 2010.

Biscuits, plants and hot desks

Jane Sullivan — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Blogs
As the public sector seeks to make substantial cost savings as part of the government’s austerity drive, the cult of the biscuit, the pot plant and the desk are all at risk in Whitehall.

The low trust and high burn out challenge

Jane Sullivan — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Blogs
HR Review cite a recent report from Ceridian that confidence and trust in employers has been significantly eroded during the recession. The report shows employees have experienced frozen pay (37%), changes to roles as a result of reorganisation (12%), longer working hours (44%) and challenges to work life balance (40%).

Early intervention keeps Phil on course

Stephen Bevan — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Health and Wellbeing
The news that World No 2 golfer Phil Mickelson has been diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis brings into sharp relief the importance of the early diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory conditions if people are to stand the best chance of living normal lives and staying in work.

Comment on the latest ONS labour market statistics

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Comment on the latest labour market statistics
'Positive outlook masks struggle for many groups', according to The Work Foundation.

Number of people working beyond 65 soars

By Harry Wallop — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: The Future of HR programme
A front page article quoting Wilson Wong, senior researcher on the Future of HR programme.

Thoughts on the Work Capability Assessment scheme

Robin McGee — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Health and Wellbeing
Last week the DWP released figures about the number of new claimants who have been found fit for work under the new Work Capability Assessment scheme. The assessments place claimants into three groups: support group, work-related activity group and fit for work. Those who are found fit for work are no longer eligible for employment and support allowance.

The vanishing DRA

Wilson Wong — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Health and Wellbeing
By phasing out the Default Retirement Age of 65 the UK is merely addressing the inevitable adjustments to the future experience of work.

Sky News

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: The Future of HR programme
Wilson Wong, senior researcher on the Future of HR programme, interviewed on the scrapping of the retirement age.

Is work ruining our lives?

Stephen Bevan — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Health and Wellbeing
On Wednesday 21 July, I chaired the 4th Annual Relate Lecture given this year by its new President, Professor Cary Cooper of the University of Lancaster....

No City Left Behind?

By Jonathan Wright for egovmonitor — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Media Coverage
A homepage article by Jonathan Wright, research assistant on the Ideopolis programme.

Anne Milton MP and health in the workplace

Stephen Bevan — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Health and Wellbeing
Last week I was asked, with Dame Carol Black, to brief the new Health Minister, about progress on the Health and Work agenda......

Is the British middle class an endangered species?

By Andy Beckett — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Media Coverage
Stephen Overell, associate director, quoted on changes to the middle class workplace.

Too many managers, not enough innovators?

Ian Brinkley — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Knowledge Economy
Over the next ten years job growth in both the US and UK economies will be driven by an expansion in knowledge intensive services and care related jobs. But there is a striking rise in the predicted number of managerial jobs that will be created in the UK. Given that productivity in the US is 22% higher than the UK , this begs the question - what are all these managers doing?

Comment on the new GDP figures

Charles Levy — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
New GDP figures show knowledge economy driving recovery, according to senior researcher Charles Levy

Spotlight on mental health in the workplace helpful but…

Robin McGee — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Health and Wellbeing
An article in the 8 July issue of The Economist highlights the increased focus employers are paying to the psychological wellbeing of workers.

Business groups remain downbeat despite fall in unemployment

By Beth Holmes — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Knowledge Economy
Ian Brinkley, associate director, quoted on the jobs recovery in knowledge intensive services.

Comment on the latest ONS labour market statistics

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Comment on the latest labour market statistics
Knowledge economy leading jobs recovery, according to The Work Foundation...

What’s on the horizon? Implications for people management

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: The Future of HR
On Tuesday 13 June, The Work Foundation held a workshop for their network of partners looking at the drivers shaping the employment relationship over the next ten years, following the launch of the third report, The Deal in 2020.....

A tale of two anglo-saxon economies

Ian Brinkley — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Knowledge Economy
Once described as two countries divided by a common language, the US and the UK are typically seen as exemplars of ‘hire and fire’ labour market flexibility in contrast to the ‘sclerotic’ over-regulated labour markets of the rest of Europe.

Work Required – Innovative skills policy for the future

Penny Tamkin — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Policy Reactions
On July 7, The Work Foundation held its third public policy exchange forum on that discussed the links between skills and innovation....

Business benefits of £4 for every £1 Unilever invested in health and wellbeing

Stephen Bevan — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Health and Wellbeing
So how can employers make a difference to the health and productivity of their employees without incurring enormous costs?

The Employment Deal in 2020: dodging the nightmare scenario?

Benjamin Reid — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: The Future of HR
On Tuesday night The Work Foundation launched a major new report examining the future of people management employment relationship, as part of its on-going, two-year Future of HR programme.

No city left behind?

Jonathan Wright — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Cities/Ideopolis
The Coalition government believes that ‘rebalancing’ the UK economy is a top priority. It wants to stimulate growth in the private sector outside of the South East of England. And later this summer it will publish a white paper on how it intends to do just that.

Decisive government action could save cities at risk of being left behind

Gideon Benari — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
A report by The Work Foundation published tomorrow (Thursday) investigates the geography of the UK recovery and sets out which policies will support economic prosperity and respond to the distinctive circumstances faced by different cities. Decisive government action could save cities at risk of being left behind

Clear vision for policing at risk

Jane Sullivan — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Blogs
The Home Secretary’s announcement that police budgets will be hit in the current slashing of the public sector follows in the wake of the 2009 White Paper which called for deep cuts in police budgets...

Publish and be damned

Charles Levy — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Knowledge Economy
The Queen's speech promised that "A new Office for Budget Responsibility will maintain confidence in the management of the public finances."The No. 10 website explained: "The OBR would put the UK at the forefront of international best practice, exceeding the IMF's recommendations on fiscal transparency. The UK would be one of the few advanced economies with an independent fiscal agency producing the official fiscal and economic forecasts."

Green Investment Bank needs to grow

Charles Levy — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Blogs
The call from the Green Investment Bank Commission this week for the establishment of a Green Investment Bank (GIB) looks like a very positive development.

Real benefits to be gained from a healthy workforce

Stephen Bevan — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Health and Wellbeing
A productive workforce is one which is appropriately skilled, has access to technology, is engaged, motivated and healthy. The Bupa report focuses on this last point, the health of the workforce

On your bike – but where to?

Neil Lee — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Cities/Ideopolis
On Sunday Iain Duncan Smith made headlines suggesting that unemployed people should move to more economically successful areas to find work.

Employees feel strain of rise in work intensity

By Brian Groom — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: The Good Work Commission
A page 4 article focussing on the interim report from the Good Work Commission and quoting Stephen Overell, associate director.

Public sector job cuts – the lessons from Canada

Ian Brinkley — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Blogs
The experience of Canada in the 1990s is often cited as an example of how governments can cut large deficits without endangering economic recovery.

Comment on the Budget from The Work Foundation

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Ian Brinkley, associate director at The Work Foundation , gives his response to today's Budget

Lack of government commitment to low carbon economy is putting potential job growth at risk

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Up to 146,000 jobs could be lost in Yorkshire and Humber by 2017 through reductions in public expenditure but risks to the region could be minimised by allowing for greater local control, according to new research from The Work Foundation published today.

Mismanaging public sector cuts could wreck chances of private sector growth

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Research on how to manage public sector cuts, conducted by The Work Foundation, shows how employment will be affected across both the private and public sectors.

Comment on the latest ONS labour market statistics

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Comment on the latest labour market statistics
'Jobs figures point to calm before storm' Ian Brinkley, associate director of The Work Foundation said in his comments on today's ONS labour market stats.

Take a break

Robin McGee — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Health and Wellbeing
How often do you work through your lunch? According to a survey from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists (CSP) about a quarter of UK workers regularly do not take a break during the day.

Financing universities and the knowledge economy

Laurence Hopkins — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Knowledge Economy
Laurence

Smoking ban works in the workplace

Stephen Bevan — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Policy Reactions
The ban on smoking came into effect in 2007 and this week research from the University of Bath suggests that the benefits of the smoking ban are becoming evident...

Railing against the cuts?

Stephen Bevan — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Policy Reactions
In 1941, Lord Beaverbrook – Churchill’s Minister of Supply - passed an order compulsorily requisitioning all post-1850 iron gates and railings for the war effort.....

Cutting the public sector

Ian Brinkley — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Policy Reactions
In the run-up to the Budget on 22 June the government has opened up the cuts debate to the general public.

Sickness absence down, but is sickness ‘presence’ up?

Stephen Bevan — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Health and Wellbeing
The latest CBI data on sickness absence in the UK workforce shows a fall in the number of working days lost, compared with previous years.

Red tape or rights? Vince Cable does eeny-meeny-miny-mo with regulation

Stephen Overell — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Policy Reactions
It is easy to identify regulation as "excessive" in its cumulative form. Bit-by-bit it mounts up and makes doing stuff more irksome. And it changes at sometimes bewildering speed. But it is much harder to point to specific regulations as excessive because generally they were introduced for good reasons to solve real problems.

Big public jobs cuts must wait until private sector jobs recover

Sun, 30 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
The Work Foundation is launching a new policy prospectus today, calling for the government to construct a growth strategy based on expanding private sector jobs in all regions and countries of the UK, in order to tackle the deficit.

The Natural Wastage Trap

Stephen Bevan — Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Policy Reactions
There’s something reassuring – even benign – about politicians announcing that they expect that job cuts can be achieved through ‘natural wastage’.....

Richard Sennett’s craft ideal chimes with the cause of good work

Thomas Mills — Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Other
For Richard Sennett the ideal of work is that of craft: ‘the desire to do a job well for its own sake’. Craft involves a delicate combination of skills and training, and is a long and ongoing practice.

Flexible working: ConLibs advance boldly where Labour fiddled

Stephen Overell — Fri, 21 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Policy Reactions
There it was. There, in the adrenalin-fuelled landslide of new policy intentions announced yesterday by the coalition, lay something The Work Foundation has been angling for - ooh - nigh on a decade

Are employers concerned about sickness presence?

Katherine Ashby — Fri, 21 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Health and Wellbeing
Is it a problem for organisations if an employee goes to work when they are sure they should be on sick leave? Are employers concerned about employees going to work unwell?

Reflections on the new government and the post-election landscape

Charles Levy — Wed, 19 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Other
During the election campaign all of the parties were clear on one thing - the public finances are in a mess and ( at some point) after the election something will have to be done about it...

The new government faces three jobs related challenges

Ian Brinkley — Wed, 19 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Other
Firstly, the need to reduce very high levels of unemployment....

The darling Budds of May

Stephen Bevan — Tue, 18 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Policy Reactions
The Liberal Conservative coalition have come to power promising to do three things above all others: bring down the size of the fiscal deficit, create a new form of political settlement and clean up politics restoring trust in politicians and Parliament....

Making Innovation Inevitable

Louise Shevlane — Fri, 14 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Leadership
As we emerge from one of the most severe economic crises of the last century, there is a growing understanding that in order for the economy to grow and flourish we need to do things differently.....

Making Innovation Inevitable - Good Morning Belgravia!

Gideon Benari — Fri, 14 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Leadership
Gooood Morning Belgravia! Picture the scene: a room at the IPA in Belgravia, about thirty managers seated waiting for a presentation to start. The speaker greets the group and receives the sort of polite muted ‘”good morning” you would expect. “I am American,” he replies, “I will need more than that”.....

Better in than out: the hidden cost of “underemployment”

Ian Brinkley — Fri, 14 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Other
Better in than out: the hidden cost of “underemployment”

Cuts, rises and a new government

Ian Brinkley — Wed, 12 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Other
We have a new government, the first Tory-Liberal coalition government in many decades....

Comment on the latest ONS labour market statistics

Wed, 12 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Comment on the latest labour market statistics
Lack of job recovery must be prime concern for new government

And so we wait

Stephen Bevan — Fri, 07 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Blogs
Stephen Bevan

A contract for growth

Thu, 06 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
An editorial from The Work Foundation

Spanish unemployment figures make grim reading for those with chronic conditions

Stephen Bevan — Wed, 05 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Health and Wellbeing
The launch today of the Spanish Fit for Work report coincided with the announcement of the latest Spanish unemployment figures....

Slash & burn or topiary in the public sector?

Stephen Bevan — Wed, 05 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Other
Whatever the result of the Election, the end of the Campaign also signals a brief truce in the phoney war over public spending cuts.

What happens next?

Stephen Bevan — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Other
So that is that. The last of the three televised leaders' debates has now been now broadcast. They have certainly had a dynamising impact on the general election. Last night's debate was on the economy.

Bigot

Stephen Bevan — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Other
Bigot’s a strong word. It should be used with caution. After all there are few of us who don’t have the odd prejudice or two tucked away inside our normal smooth urbane personas. ...

Are lunch breaks for wimps?

Stephen Bevan — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Health and Wellbeing
Believe it or not, last week I was quoted in an article in the Daily Mail which was marking the 30th anniversary of the Marks & Spencer sandwich.

Big Blue’s Bombshell: crowd scaring with crowd sourcing

Stephen Overell — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Other
The internet has long held out the exciting– or terrifying – possibility of organising without organisations, thus reshaping how work gets done. No need to employ staff with all the fiddly costs and obligations involved; people can be brought together and dispersed on a project-by-project, as-and-when basis.

Volcanic Ash!

Robin McGee — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Health and Wellbeing
Wow! What a trip. Last Wednesday, I went to Stockholm to present the pan-European Fit for Work report at the 1st Baltic & North Sea Conference on Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine. I was scheduled to return Thursday afternoon, but needless to say the volcano disrupted my return travel plans.

Comment on the latest ONS labour market statistics

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Comment on the latest labour market statistics
New labour market figures: “Fall in claimant count measure misleading; hasty public sector cuts must be avoided”

Have the ash clouds been hiding a darkening economic storm?

Charles Levy — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Knowledge Economy
The monthly updates from the Office for National Statistics on the UK’s economic performance have been particularly eagerly awaited.

A 2020 Low Carbon Economy

Charles Levy — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Knowledge Economy
The future is green, or so the manifestos would tell us. Even Google suggests there might be something to this. Search for the phrase Low Carbon Economy and you will be bombarded by in excess of 2,000,000 hits.

Investigation shows sickness absence must not be tackled without addressing sickness presence

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
The cost of working when ill – or sickness presence – could match or account for 1.5 times more working time lost than the cost of sickness absence which has been estimated at around £13bn annually.

Sick and at work?

Katherine Ashby — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Health and Wellbeing
At a well attended event this morning we launched the findings of our new report, Why do employees come to work when ill?

How to make the UK a world leader in key areas by 2020

Ian Brinkley — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Knowledge Economy
Today we launch a new paper which sets out a detailed vision of how to make the UK a world leader in key areas by 2020: Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship. In a well attended event kindly held at the headquarters of the IPA, one of the sponsors of our knowledge economy programme, Will Hutton and talked about the three key aims of the paper.

Nothing less than a call for a marketing approach to UK plc's future

Hamish Pringle - Director General IPA — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Blogs

Intelligent and focussed intervention required by the next government to avoid low growth and high unemployment

Christine George — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
A new paper from The Work Foundation published today (Friday 9 April) sets out a detailed vision of how to make the UK a world leader in key areas by 2020.

Posh jobs and poor jobs: the real future of work

Stephen Overell — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: The Good Work Commission
For all interested in the changing nature of work, the Skills Audit released recently by the skills behemoth, the UKCES, is an important and impressive document.

Nursing a headache?

Stephen Bevan — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Health and Wellbeing
The NHS yesterday announced over £4bn in efficiency savings, including ambitious targets to reduce staff sickness absence. Commenting on these plans, Vince Cable – the Lib Dem Treasury spokesman - queried the feasibility of these and asked "And how do you make nurses not be ill?...".

Budget comment from The Work Foundation

Christine George — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Ian Brinkley, associate director at The Work Foundation, comments on today's budget.

Is leadership in crisis?

Ruth Spellman, chief executive, Chartered Management Institute — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Leadership
Enron fraud; MPs expenses and the latest lobbying scandal; financial services induced recession followed by record bonuses; executive pay rising consistently faster than average earnings – is leadership in crisis?

Delays in access to mental health services cost UK employers and society

Robin McGee — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Health and Wellbeing
Covered in the news yesterday were the results of a survey of GPs showing many of their patients were not receiving the psychological services they needed.

Comment on labour market statistics

Ian Brinkley — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Comment on the latest labour market statistics
Older long-term unemployed continue to be vulnerable, warns The Work Foundation

Softly, softly: Business policy from the Liberal Democrats

Ben Reid — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Policy Reactions
In an interesting and engaging discussion at the Work Foundation today John (Lord) Thurso, Liberal Democrat Shadow of State for Business outlined the ‘direction of travel’ of Liberal Democrat policy in this area – and the economy more generally – for the forthcoming general election.

The Shape of Things to Come

Charles Levy — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Knowledge Economy
As we entered the recession with a rate of decline steeper than anything in living memory, there was a proliferation of metaphors illustrating the recession’s likely shape.

Recession and the third sector

Laurence Hopkins — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Leadership
As the economic news coverage moves from fears of a double-dip to public sector redundancies and back again, spare a thought for leaders in the third sector

The battle of the generations for workplace rewards

Wilson Wong — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: The Future of HR
This week we had the privilege of welcoming Dr Elaine Alden to The Work Foundation’s Research Rumbles where she presented her research on the connections between generational membership (Traditionalists; Baby Boomers, Gen X; Gen Y) and their reward preferences

Benefits cheats?

Benjamin Reid — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: The Future of HR
Last night on BBC1 there were two programmes which presented an aspect of the world of work familiar to millions of people in the UK: seeking it. Both sought to understand the experience of joblessness through the presentation of a small number of individuals currently looking for work in the UK. However, here the similarities between them ended.

Good Work Commission to investigate changing nature of work

Christine George — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
The Work Foundation today announces the launch of a wide-ranging investigation into the UK workplace. Using independent research and led by senior figures from business, the public sector and trade unions, the Commission’s look at quality of work issues is one of the most comprehensive to be conducted in recent years.

Envisioning the employer-employee relationship in 2020

Wilson Wong — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: The Future of HR
On the 24th of February Jane Sullivan and I ran a workshop at the HRN Europe conference - Performance and Management: The Future of HR.

New ‘Work Charter’ launched to help 6.5m people with musculoskeletal conditions to stay in work

Stephen Bevan — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Health and Wellbeing
Today sees the launch of a ‘Work Charter’ for people with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in the UK.....

Has Ulrich moved HR too far away from the employment relationship?

Jennifer Parkin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: The Future of HR
Dave Ulrich wanted to help HR demonstrate its value to business communities and in many organisations he has certainly achieved this (along with some timely cost reductions!).

Job quality matters for the health and wellbeing of the workforce

Robin McGee — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Knowledge Economy
Evidence shows that work is good for us and illustrates that the quality of work employees have influences their wellbeing.

All talk, no action, or no talk, all action - striking the balance in next generation HR

Laura Blazey — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: The Future of HR
No profession enjoys an identity crisis quite like HR.

Comment on labour market statistics

Christine George — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Comment on the latest labour market statistics
More needs to be done for older workers, says The Work Foundation.

Unemployment up or down?

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Knowledge Economy
There is again confusion in the unemployment numbers with the two indicators moving in different directions.

Good work: the key to reducing absence, improving health, and raising performance

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Health and Wellbeing
Why does somebody join an organisation? Why do they choose to come in to work? And what can organisations do to positively influence the health, wellbeing and ultimately the performance of their employees? These were some of the questions being considered and discussed at The Work Foundation’s Partner workshop on absence management.

‘Who’s Who’ of luminaries from the world of work and wellbeing turn out in force to demand action

Stephen Bevan — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Health and Wellbeing
Last night The Work Foundation hosted a ‘Health at Work’ Reception to celebrate the high profile and progress which the issue has achieved among employers and policy-makers in recent years.

2010: A year of action

Dame Carol Black, national director for health and work — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Health and Wellbeing
Tonight I am speaking at The Work Foundation’s Health at Work reception, where the focus is on 2010 as a ‘Year of Action’ in the health and well-being arena.....

Sectors and the city: Debating skills

Laurence Hopkins — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Knowledge Economy
As one of the main drivers of productivity, the skills of the UK’s workforce will be vital to any sustainable recovery.

Is 'the deal' almost entirely fuelled on trust?

Alex Albert — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: The Future of HR
Is the employment relationship between a person and their line manager almost entirely fuelled on trust? Our second paper on the Future of HR research programme would suggest so. But what is trust?...

Future Scenarios for a Low Carbon Economy Workshop

Charles Levy — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Knowledge Economy
This is certainly the topic of the moment. Optimism surrounds the potential for green jobs, or activities which derive their demand from our desire to cut emissions of carbon dioxide, to lead us out of recession.

Engagement and good work: frosty cousins air-kissing at family gatherings

Stephen Overell — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Other
What is the relationship between employee engagement and good work? Clearly, they share the same broad arena, to do with people and organisations, work and society. They also point in the same practical direction....

Deal or no deal?

Laura Blazey — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: The Future of HR
Deal or no deal? Is this the question that organisations need to be asking themselves?...

The labour market remains a harsh place for young people and anyone looking for full-time work.

Charles Levy — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Knowledge Economy

Life as an Industrial Correspondent

Alan Jones, Industrial Correspondent, Press Association — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Other
In some respects life as an industrial correspondent has changed beyond recognition over the past 20 years, but in others it’s exactly the same....

Comment on the labour market statistics

Christine George — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Comment on the latest labour market statistics
Overall impression of stability in unemployment figures is misleading, warns The Work Foundation

Nature or nurture? Can you grow outstanding leadership?

Laurence Hopkins — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Leadership
One of the first questions that is usually asked of our new study on outstanding leadership is whether or not the principles, behaviours and qualities that we found as differentiating ‘good’ and ‘outstanding leaders’ can be developed in individuals.....

23rd Workworld Media Awards winners announced

Christine George — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
At a ceremony at The Work Foundation, Workworld Media Awards, winners were congratulated by executive vice chair, Will Hutton, keynote speaker, Greg Dyke and CEO of EDF Energy, Vincent de Rivaz.

From Cities in 2010 to Cities in 2020

Alex Jones — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Cities/Ideopolis
The Centre for Cities has put out its annual Cities Outlook report this morning. It highlights that this recession is hitting the places still suffering from previous recessions the hardest...

In-depth study reveals controlling, target-driven approach to leadership as counter-productive

Christine George — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
The findings of a two year research project are launched today

Outstanding leadership - a glimmer of hope or a flash in the pan?

Gemma Pearson — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Leadership
Given the leadership disasters we have witnessed in recent years – price fixing, competition rigging, expenses fiddling, not to mention global financial meltdown - it would be easy to assume that something is fundamentally rotten at the heart of leadership......

EDF Energy named as 23rd Workworld Media Awards sponsor

Christine George — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
EDF Energy, the UK’s largest producer of electricity and one of the country’s largest energy companies is to sponsor the 23rd WorkWorld Media Awards.

The future (of work): it’s where we’ll be spending the rest of our (working) lives…

Benjamin Reid — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: The Future of HR
'It is difficult to make predictions, especially about the future'.

UK Innovation System in 2020

Ian Brinkley — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Knowledge Economy
The recent speech by The Secretary of State, Peter Mandelson, attracted little media coverage because of the Hoon-Hewitt letter to some Labour MPs. This is a pity because the speech included some substantive ideas that touched on areas all political parties will have to grapple with after the Election.

Growth in a cold climate?

Neil Lee — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Cities/Ideopolis
The snow is now melting, in central London at least. Most people have been preoccupied with the immediate issues - whether public transport is working, or whether to build that snowman

Fracas over Fission

Charles Levy — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Knowledge Economy
The Science and Technology Facilities Council today announced how it plans to fill a £40m hole in its budget. Many fear that the cuts announced will have a major negative impact on our capacity to conduct scientific research.

Employment is rising but full-time workers and young people continue to suffer, says The Work Foundation

Christine George — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Commenting on the latest labour market statistics, The Work Foundation says that the employment situation may have improved, but there is as yet no recovery for the young.

Integrity Testing

Benjamin Reid — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Other
If line managers in an organisation were bending the personnel rules, or stealing from their employer, then one would expect HR to step in pretty swiftly.

Is the labour market moving up?

Ian Brinkley — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Knowledge Economy
The headline numbers from today’s labour market figures show we are over the worst – at least for the time being.

Recovery will rely on revival of “business purpose and fairness”, claims Will Hutton in new essay

Christian Zarro — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
The financial crisis and recession not only exposed failures and excess in the financial sector, but diverted attention from similar weaknesses that existed across British businesses, claims Will Hutton, executive vice chair at The Work Foundation in a new essay.

The Work Foundation welcomes the Chancellor’s focus on employment in the Pre-Budget Report

Christian Zarro — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
David Coats welcomed the Chancellor's emphasis on employment, especially for younger and older workers.

Darling delivers on the Job Guarantee: A Work Foundation Success

David Coats — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Policy Reactions
Of course it would be wrong to claim all the credit, but Alistair Darling has done precisely what The Work Foundation recommended....

UK Manufacturing: Redundant or Key Recovery Role?

Charles Levy — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Knowledge Economy
Last Friday’s confirmation from Corus that they will curtail production at their Teeside Cast Products factory, mothballing the plant, and putting 1,700 people out of work represents a major blow for their workers, the area, and the UK’s manufacturing industry.

Regenerating regeneration: learning lessons for the recovery of the UK economy

Jonathan Wright — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Cities/Ideopolis
Getting regeneration policy right will be vital to the recovery of the UK economy, just as regeneration policy has been vital to recovery from past recessions in this country.

My first blog

Peter Wall — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Other
What does ‘Outstanding Leadership’ mean to you? Think it over, and when our latest research is published we’ll share our conclusions on the topic and you can see how your opinions compare and contrast to those findings.

Jim “Jobs” Knight licks the unemployment doom-mongers

Stephen Overell — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Other
Jim Knight’s vision for the future of Job Centre Plus (JCP) is certainly ambitious. It is also compelling...

Employee engagement and financial education

David Coats — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Other
Will employee engagement improve if an employer offers employees access to financial education and advice?...

Chancellor of the Exchequer needs to do more to tackle youth unemployment in Pre-Budget Report

Christian Zarro — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
A new report, The Road to Recovery: Getting Britain back to Work, is calling on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to take stronger action against youth unemployment in the Pre-Budget Report

What should the Chancellor do in the PBR?

David Coats — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Policy Reactions
For some commentators and opposition politicians the answer is easy: start cutting public spending now and deal with a deficit that has reached an allegedly “unsustainable” level. In my view this would be disastrous.

Google Books-Out of Print, Out of Sight

Charles Levy — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Knowledge Economy
Books have long been considered to be a symbol of knowledge, and the information that they contain is a key asset for knowledge economy activities.

Employers believe ‘good jobs’ are linked to success

Christian Zarro — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Employers are committed to improving the quality of jobs in the UK but lack guidance about how to achieve it says a new report published today by The Work Foundation.

Can change ever be good?

Michelle Mahdon — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Other
Hearing the word ‘change’ in an organisation can drive fear, resignation and dread into the hearts of employees......

Response to Dr Steve Boorman’s Final Report into the health and wellbeing of NHS staff

Christian Zarro — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Boorman’s final report into the health and wellbeing of NHS staff is welcome, says The Work Foundation.

Will HR again be shut out of a role in setting bankers’ pay?

Benjamin Reid — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Other
Wednesday’s Queen’s speech will apparently outline new legislation to give the Financial Services Authority (FSA) the power to veto bankers’ employment contracts which are deemed to allow for “socially unacceptable” levels of remuneration.

Where will growth come from

Ian Brinkley — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Knowledge Economy
One source is overseas. The exchange rate fall is even greater than in the early 1990s and in the 1990s recovery UK manufacturing experienced a revival.

Comment on the latest ONS labour market statistics

Christian Zarro — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Comment on the latest labour market statistics
Ian Brinkley responds to the Labour Market Statistics from the ONS and why the labour market is doing better than expected.

Core Cities Summit – Future of Cities

Alexandra Jones — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Cities/Ideopolis
The UK is facing a difficult decade. It will take three to four years for the economy to recover; even longer for the labour market.

Bloomberg, Skills and Social Mobility

Neil Lee — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Cities/Ideopolis
Mike Bloomberg yesterday won a controversial third term as New York Mayor. His win was slimmer than expected - less than 5%.

Is there a future for leadership development?

Benjamin Reid — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Other
That’s the message from Professor John G Burgoyne, long-standing Professor of Management Learning at Lancaster University Management School, who spoke on the history of leadership development at Henley Business School last week.

Reaction to NICE guidance on mental health and wellbeing in the workplace

Christian Zarro — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Responding to the guidance on mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.

Heath, Work and Hygiene-Factors. Or how the Tories discovered good work

Stephen Overell — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Other
What is the Conservative’s Party’s attitude towards good work and work quality issues? One view goes like this: work is a purely economic exchange between two parties; both sides want to maximise their interests; the job of the state is to stay well clear of their dealings.

The Recession: Unhealthy Places and Unhealthy Outcomes

Katy Morris — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Cities/Ideopolis
Last week’s ONS figures showed the UK remains mired in the longest recession since records began.

Welcome back blood, sweat and tears

Stephen Overell — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Other
The subject of work is relevant to the public at large (as opposed to obsessives like me) when there isn't much of it about or when people are on strike.

Attracting Talent

Charles Levy — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Knowledge Economy
Evidence suggests that immigration into the UK has helped to plug skills gaps and contributed to the development of the UK knowledge economy.

Tick-tock timeout for pay audits

Steve Overell — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Other
And so the race is on: will the Equality Bill beat a Conservative government into existence? The Equality Bill now working its way through Parliament is scheduled for enactment in “Spring 2010” which may or may not be before a possible election on May 6th (though the Tories lead is shrinking at present).....

Crikey - it’s the London plan!

Neil Lee — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Cities/Ideopolis
Crikey - it's the London plan! Boris Johnson is such a genial and entertaining chap that it is sometimes easy to forget that he also runs a major world city.

The Work Foundation helps University of York win leadership award

Christian Zarro — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
The Work Foundation’s work on leadership development helped the University of York win the Outstanding Contribution to Leadership Development prize at the 2009 Times Higher Education Awards last night.

Comment on the labour market statistics

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Comment on the latest labour market statistics
Comment on the labour market statistics issued on 14 October 2009.

The consensus of the (confident) blind

Wilson Wong — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Other
Throughout all the talk about who should have seen what in Lord Turner’s conversation with Will Hutton at a breakfast event at The Work Foundation this morning....

Agglomeration: Are Big Cities Winning?

Katy Morris — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Cities/Ideopolis
“Simply put, big metros are winning! Big metropolitan areas [in the United States] are where knowledge-based industries… are concentrating”. Michigan Futures (2009)

Engineering Talent

Charles Levy — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Knowledge Economy
Many have expressed concern about a shortage of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) graduates available to work in engineering and manufacturing sectors.

The big, bold, blue jobs initiative. Or how to cross-dress with style.

Stephen Overell — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Party Conferences
There was a time not too long ago when it appeared the Conservative Party was just not that interested in policy areas around work.

What makes a city innovative?

Naomi Clayton — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Cities/Ideopolis
Innovation matters to economic growth. Cities that enable innovation are most likely to move ahead. In the current economic climate with private finances drying up and the public sector facing huge cuts, how can innovation be supported so that cities are ready for the recovery?

Muscle and joint pain costs European economies up to €240 billion a year

Christian Zarro — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Brussels, 30 September 2009 – A new study today finds that musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) account for nearly half (49%) of all absences from work and 60% of permanent work incapacity in the European Union.

Inequality in the recession

Neil Lee — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Knowledge Economy
Massive bonuses in the City have been blamed for starting it. But has the recession increased or decreased inequality?...

Brown, Mandelson and the state we’re headed for

Will Hutton — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Party Conferences
The media has already written the script, and it was determined that the Brighton Labour party conference should conform to its predictions....

Its official: unemployment to peak at 3 million

Steve Overell — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Party Conferences
The Department for Work and Pensions – which always insists it does not make forecasts – expects unemployment to peak at somewhere around the three million mark...

Not picking winners, picking winning sectors

Stephen Overell — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Party Conferences
Due to media conventions, the phrase “industrial activism” has to be followed by the denial that it is “about picking winners”....

Comment on labour market statistics

Ian Brinkley — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Knowledge Economy
All the recent talk about an economic recovery is distant from what is happening in the labour market.....

Bournemouth Blog

Steve Overell — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Party Conferences
Localism. Devolution. The man in Whitehall does not know best. The Lib Dems like their slogans. Unkind souls sometimes complain they are bit vague on what they might mean in practice.....

Bournemouth Blog

Will Hutton — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Party Conferences
I like Lib Dem party conferences. I like the way when you arrive there is someone to welcome you at the door and the only security check is one man cursorily checking your bag rather than the crocodile queue waiting for an airport-style vetting.....

Partnership announced between The Clore Social Leadership Programme and The Work Foundation

Laurence Hopkins — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Partnership announced between The Clore Social Leadership Programme and The Work Foundation

Comment on the labour market statistics issued on 16 September 2009

Christian Zarro — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Comment on the latest labour market statistics
Commenting on today’s labour market statistics, Ian Brinkley, associate director at The Work Foundation, said: All the recent talk of recovery is clearly very distant from what’s happening in the labour market.

Knowledge Economy programme - second phase launched

Nasreen Memon — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: News
The Work Foundation today launches the second phase of its research programme on the future of Britain's knowledge economy.

Repeat casualty cities hit hardest by latest recession

Nasreen Memon — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Repeat casualty cities hit hardest by latest recession and risk long term cycle of decline

Comment on labour market statistics issued on 17 June 2009

Nasreen Memon — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Comment on the latest labour market statistics
A mixture of good and bad news from today's statistics

Government needs to 'talk the right language' on skills

Stephen Overell — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: News
Government and its agencies and the small business sector think about skills in very different ways, which hampers efforts to drive up UK skill and qualification levels.

Comment on today’s Budget and labour market statistics

Stephen Overell — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Comment on the latest labour market statistics
Commentary on Alistair Darling's Budget and labour market statistics out today.

Further fiscal stimulus vital to stave off mass unemployment

Stephen Overell — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: News
The Work Foundation today urges a £23 billion package of measures to make the ' budget for jobs' a reality.

Map of recession reveals worst-hit places

Stephen Overell — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: News
A new analysis from The Work Foundation today reveals the areas suffering most from rising unemployment during the recession.

‘Unloved by people and managers’ – the future of HR?

Steve Overell — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
The Work Foundation today announces the start of a major one and a half year research programme looking into the future of human resources.

G20 must focus on global jobs crisis

Steve Overell — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
The G20 must focus on the issues which concern voters - prices, jobs, security and pensions- if their recommendations are to be seen as legitimate.

Employers squandering the talents of workers

Steve Overell — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Too many employers are poorly equipped to weather the recession because they use workers’ skills and talents poorly, tie them up in rules and procedures, and give them little say over how they do their work, The Work Foundation says today.

'Manu-services’ sector deserves government support

Stephen Overell — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
'Manu-services’ sector deserves government support

Winners of the WorkWorld Media Awards announced

Steve Overell — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
The winners of this year’s WorkWorld Media Awards were announced at a ceremony in central London tonight.

Response to the Pre Budget Report

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
David Coats, associate director of policy at The Work Foundation, comments on the pre Budget Report

Reaction to the government response to Dame Carol Black's review of the health of the working age population

Steve Overell — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
'A positive prospectus for real improvements in Britain’s workplaces' says David Coats, associate director of policy at The Work Foundation, reacting to the government's response to Dame Carol Black's review.

Bold package urged to stave off rise in unemployment

Steve Overell — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Predicting a peak of 2.5 million unemployed and a worse recession than both the 1980s and 1990s, a new report urges the government to use every means at its disposal – monetary, fiscal, financial and through assorted labour market interventions – to boost the economy and protect employment.

Three Years On- Revisiting MG Rover

Steve Overell — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Ex-Rover workers suffer big wage falls as they find new work , a report by The Work Foundation and Birmingham Business School has found. Groundbreaking research reveals latest findings on what has happened to the 6,300 workers who lost their jobs in the collapse of MG Rover.

WorkWorld Media Awards 2008 – entry deadline approaching

Steve Overell — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Journalists wishing to enter The Work Foundation’s WorkWorld Media Awards are reminded that the deadline for entries is Friday 14 November.

Involving citizens and workers key to public service reform

Stephen Overell — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Public service reform has floundered because government has failed to enlist the support of citizens or maintain the confidence of public service staff.

UK’s ‘special relationship’ with India needs to be nurtured

Stephen Overell — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
In a new report from research consultancy The Work Foundation, "The UK and India: the other ‘special relationship’?" the government is urged to do more to develop the special relationship between the UK and India.

More ‘good work’ needed to boost jobs and cut child poverty

Stephen Overell — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
A package of policies designed to create more ‘good jobs’ is urged today in a new report. The quality of employment has an impact on health, life expectancy and life chances and government cannot make serious progress towards the reduction of health inequalities unless it has policies to improve job quality for the most disadvantaged. Work is better for health and life expectancy than worklessness, but it is only really good for us if it is ‘good work’, the report argues.

The Work Foundation announces new work programmes

Stephen Overell — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
The Work Foundation today announces changes to its structure and focus to consolidate its position as the leading research and consultancy organisation specializing in work in the UK and Europe.

WorkWorld Media Awards 2008: open for entries

Stephen Overell — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Entries are now invited for the 2008 WorkWorld Media Awards.

CEOs should not be paid for risks they do not bear

Stephen Overell — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Being a chief executive of a major company is a relatively low-risk job in comparison with many other sorts of work, a new paper argues. Therefore, the old arguments about risk and reward traditionally deployed by those seeking to justify growing chief executive pay packets cannot be sustained.

Strategic potential of internal communication yet to be tapped

Stephen Overell — Thu, 24 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
New research today challenges top teams and senior decision makers to recognise the potential of internal communications (IC) to drive up the cohesion and performance of organisations.

New study into leadership launched

Stephen Overell — Wed, 09 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
The Work Foundation today announces the start of a new research programme into leadership

'Ideopolis’ research programme launched'

Stephen Overell — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
The Work Foundation today announces the start of phase II of its ‘Ideopolis’ programme of research into cities.

Inside the dark box: shedding light on private equity

Stephen Overell — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Different types of private equity deal have markedly different effects on jobs, wages and the quality of working life, new report finds

'Britain needs ‘knowledge economy policy’

Stephen Overell — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Gordon Brown should use the opportunity of the Comprehensive Spending Review this summer to set out an economic policy that will enable Britain to flourish in the knowledge economy, The Work Foundation says today.

Best of British Industry Awards – winners announced

Stephen Overell — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
The winners of the 2006 Best of British Industry Awards are announced today

The Future of Welfare Reform

Stephen Overell — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Commenting on today's speech by Jim Murphy MP, minister of state for employment and welfare reform, Will Hutton, chief executive of The Work Foundation said:

Winners of the WorkWorld Media Awards announced

Steve Overell — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
At a ceremony held at Bafta, the winners of the 2006 Workworld media awards were announced by Will Hutton, chief executive of The Work Foundation

1-2-3-4-5: The magic numbers for economic improvement

Steve Overell — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Many of society’s most intractable social problems - crime, drugs misuse, unemployment, poor skills and endemic unhappiness - are rooted in the experiences of children during their first five years of life.

Employment law not the only route to justice at work

Stephen Overell — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
The cause of justice at work will not be best served by introducing any new employment laws in the near future. Instead, what is needed is a new policy initiative aiming to encourage employers both to comply with existing laws and actively pursue a fairness at work agenda.

CEOs should not be paid for risks they do not bear

Stephen Overell — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Managers and professionals dominate new job growth

Stephen Overell — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Relatively well-paying managerial, professional and semi-professional type jobs have grown faster than any other sort of work in the UK over the last decade, a new analysis from The Work Foundation reveals.

Public sector work-life balance is more rhetoric than reality

Stephen Overell — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Employers in the public sector ‘talk the talk’ on work-life balance, but have only low levels of commitment to changing standard working patterns in practice – and in some cases deliberately block people from flexible working or grant requests only to selected favourites

UK Competitiveness Index

Stephen Overell — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
North-south divide is beginning to close The first compelling evidence that the north-south divide that has marred British economic life for a generation is beginning to close is published today.

The job of public sector managers is to maximise public value

Stephen Overell — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Report calls for citizens and citizenship to be placed at the heart of public service reform debate

DCLG White Paper is a missed opportunity to empower our city-regions

Thu, 26 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
DCLG White Paper is a missed opportunity to empower our city-regions

Greater power should be devolved to ‘city regions’

Stephen Overell — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Report also calls for a new vision for Britain’s overlooked medium-sized cities

Low investment limits the knowledge economy dividend, report finds

Stephen Overell — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
European countries together have a ‘knowledge economy’ that is as big if not bigger than that of the US, with over 40 per cent of workers employed in knowledge-based industries*. But the continent has not matched the US in terms of economic growth and productivity largely because it has not invested as much in its knowledge base and may be suffering a slowdown in technological progress as a result.

Survey uncovers generation gap in attitudes to industry

Stephen Overell — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
When they think of the word ‘industry’ young people see ‘money and computers’ whereas older people see ‘dirt and decline’

Manchester city-region has ‘earned the right to greater autonomy’

Stephen Overell — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Manchester has earned the right to greater freedom from central government control, a new report from The Work Foundation says today.

Too much recklessness blights government IT projects, report finds

Stephen Overell — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Contrary to the stereotype, public sector managers have sometimes been too gung-ho in their attitude to risk when developing and implementing information technology projects, wasting many millions of pounds of taxpayer’s money in the process

British people are willing to pay more for the BBC

Stephen Overell — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
British citizens are prepared to pay more money for the BBC licence fee in the future, a new study has found

Hairdressers, celebrities, managers, consultants: paper unveils the ‘iconic’ jobs of the 21st century

Stephen Overell — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Anyone hoping to find the archetypal workers of the early 21st century should look no further than the ranks of hairdressers, management consultants, celebrities and managers

A new paper argues that these four types of work are the closest we have to jobs that are ‘iconic’ – jobs that capture the spirit of the age, workers

Stephen Overell — Fri, 28 Jul 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
The debate about the ‘knowledge economy’ is full of ‘slovenly thinking and careless assumptions’, The Work Foundation alleges today.

Knowledge economy debate needs to move beyond platitudes

Stephen Overell — Fri, 28 Jul 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
The debate about the ‘knowledge economy’ is full of ‘slovenly thinking and careless assumptions’, The Work Foundation alleges today.

Workworld Media Awards 2006

Stephen Overell — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Nominations open for Workworld Media Awards 2006

Workers overwhelmingly satisfied with their jobs

Stephen Overell — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Study points to growing appetite for ‘good work’

Rising numbers of workers doubt their bosses’ leadership abilities

Stephen Overell — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Confidence in the leadership abilities of senior managers has declined since the start of 2005, the latest results of The Worker’s Index, a bi-annual survey of employees’ feelings and attitudes towards work, reveals today

Health service workers are the gloomiest staff in the public services

Stephen Overell — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Health service workers are markedly more disillusioned with their jobs and have less faith in their leaders than their counterparts in other parts of the public sector.

New study exposes flexibility myths

Stephen Overell — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
The widespread conviction that low levels of employment regulation and weak trade unions are the cause of Britain’s good record at creating jobs and keeping unemployment down is today exposed as a myth in a new study by The Work Foundation

Performance management systems are ‘failing to motivate’, says The Work Foundation

Stephen Overell — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Most organisations have lost sight of the fact that performance management systems should aim to enhance performance by motivating staff

Tesco and corporate responsibility

Stephen Overell — Wed, 10 May 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Tesco’s is leading the debate about what corporate responsibility means, says The Work Foundation

Knowledge economy project

Stephen Overell — Fri, 28 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Biggest ever research programme on the knowledge economy, led by The Work Foundation receives Chancellor Gordon Brown’s support

Ideopolis knowledge cities project

Stephen Overell — Mon, 03 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
The Work Foundation identifies best UK cities in which to live, work and invest

Peugeot Citroen closure

Stephen Overell — Sun, 02 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Peugeot Citroen closure will be as devastating for redundant workforce as Longbridge warns The Work Foundation

Papering over the Cracks, Rules, Regulation and Real Trust

Stephen Overell — Mon, 27 Feb 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Regulatory reflex in danger of destroying not building trust in business

Workworld Awards winners

Stephen Overell — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
The Work Foundation’s Workworld Awards Winners Announced

The Active Welfare State: Matching Rights with Responsibilities

Stephen Overell — Mon, 16 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
The Rt Hon John Hutton MP Secretary of State for Work and Pensions - The Active Welfare State: Matching Rights with Responsibilities

Healthy work: productive workplaces report

Stephen Overell — Fri, 30 Dec 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
In a report published on 30 December 2005, 'Healthy Work: Productive Workplaces', The Work Foundation has joined with the London Health Commission to warn that Government strategy on health and work lacks cohesion and will have little impact on the real issues affecting health and productivity.

One in four British workers feel failed by their managers

Stephen Overell — Thu, 24 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
British businesses are being held back by managers who fail to get the best out of their staff, according to the latest Workers’ Index published by MORI and The Work Foundation.

Gershon will fail without better implementation of ICT concludes The Work Foundation

Stephen Overell — Mon, 31 Oct 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Senior managers and frontline staff at all levels of government are struggling to realise the potential of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to meet the efficiency targets set by the Gershon Review, says new research from The Work Foundation, sponsored by Adobe

Wait 'til your father gets home?

Stephen Overell — Tue, 11 Oct 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
The offer to take six months of unpaid paternity leave will be ignored by new dads, warns The Work Foundation.

Employees hold the secret of success for Alliance Boots

Stephen Overell — Thu, 06 Oct 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
The 76,000 employees at newly merged Alliance Boots may be concerned about their jobs, but they actually hold the fortune of the company in their hands

How ICT? The role of ICT in public services report

Stephen Overell — Thu, 22 Sep 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Listen to staff or ICT reform will fail concludes The Work Foundation

Cracking the Performance Code survey

Stephen Overell — Thu, 15 Sep 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Survey of top performing firms debated at DTI summit for EU Leaders

Money, Tickets, Passport, Blackberry??

Stephen Overell — Thu, 25 Aug 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
The British summer holiday is synonymous with traffic jams, inclement weather and bored children, but for some it is all about work.

Public sector trails private sector in the first worker confidence index

Stephen Overell — Tue, 02 Aug 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
MORI Social Research Institute and The Work Foundation have launched the first Workers 'Index, the start of an ongoing series to monitor trends in the workplace

The Tipping Point: How Much is Broadcast Creativity at Risk? research report

Stephen Overell — Thu, 28 Jul 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Less not more? Broadcasting creativity at risk says independent report

British Business DNA Decoded

Stephen Overell — Tue, 19 Jul 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
The Work Foundation today (19 July 2005) launched the findings of its year long investigation into how the UK's companies could be more productive.

'What ICT? Providing more citizen focused services' research report

Stephen Overell — Mon, 27 Jun 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Public want ‘IT’ all in public services: But public servants need to match the right technology to the right people

Meaning, Management and Measurement The Work Foundation to examine Public Value within a UK context

Stephen Overell — Tue, 14 Jun 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Measuring the public value created by the UK’s public services and institutions is tricky. Even the definition of public value is elusive.

Ideopolis: Knowledge City research

Stephen Overell — Fri, 08 Apr 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Filed under: Press Releases
Business and Public Sector combine to back Ideopolis: Knowledge City research into knowledge economy and regional cities