The Skills and Employment Survey 2024 (SES2024) launch event on Wednesday 2 April 2025. This national study of around 5,500 adults in paid employment focuses on the work that people do and how working life has changed over time in the UK. It builds on similar surveys stretching as far back as 1986. The 2024 results will therefore provide a unique picture of change over the last 40 years.

The event will be chaired by Kate Bell, Assistant General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC).  The research team – Alan Felstead, Rhys Davies, Duncan Gallie, Francis Green, Golo Henseke and Ying Zhou – will present headline findings of the survey and outline policy implications relating to four important questions forming the basis of these short reports:

  1. How Common is Workplace Abuse? Workplace abuse has detrimental effects on worker health and wellbeing. However, too little is known about its prevalence. This report analyses perceptions of physical violence, sexual harassment and other harassment or bullying.
  2. What is Happening to Participation at Work? Participation at work is an important determinant of personal well-being and is conducive to higher productivity. This report examines trends in different types of participation, their distribution by gender and class, and the implications for worker well-being and motivation.
  3. Has the Tide Turned for Trade Unions? This report examines key trends in union membership and perceptions in the influence that unions have. It also examines the demand for union representation among those employed at non-unionised workplaces and how these demands vary between different population subgroups.
  4. What Makes Work Meaningful? Drawing on new questions introduced in SES2024, this report examines perceptions of meaningful work, how they vary across different labour market groups, and the types of work environment that effectively cultivate a greater sense of meaning.

Hard copies of these reports will be available at the event and to view online afterwards at wiserd.ac.uk.

The launch event will be preceded by a buffet lunch served from 12.30pm. Presentations will begin at 1.30pm with short introductions from the sponsors – the Economic and Social Research Council, the Department for Education, Acas and the Department for the Economy Northern Ireland. This will be followed by 20-minute, theme-focused presentations by the research team, followed by a period of discussion. The event is estimated to end at 3:45pm.

The event is free, but places are limited, and attendance will be by prior registration only. If you would like to attend, please sign up by 5pm Tuesday 25 March 2025 and select the in-person attendance ticket.

The event will also be live streamed to registered participants. If you would like to join us virtually, please select the online attendance ticket and sign up by Monday 31 March 2025. It is important to note that if you join us online you will be able to watch the event but there will be no opportunity for interaction and you will not be able to ask questions via the chat function.

Please feel free to forward this invitation to any colleagues who may be interested in attending. If you require any further information, please contact wiserd.events@cardiff.ac.uk or call 029 2087 9338.

A second SES2024 launch event will be held on Monday 19 May 2025, also at Broadway House, to launch four further reports addressing the following work-related questions: What drives AI and robot adoption? Is the job quality gender gap narrowing? Are skill requirements on the rise? Is the office dying? This event will be chaired by Sarah O’Connor, Associate Editor of the Financial Times, and we will announce registration details soon.