Publications

The creation of a learning environment at work has been seen as an essential concomitant of the growth of an advanced economy. This article explores the implications of direct participation for different types of employee learning, drawing upon the British Skills and Employment Surveys of 2006 and 2012. It confirms that direct participation is strongly…

The resource-based view (RBV) of the firm has focused attention on the importance of aligning employees’ needs with the requirements of the jobs they do. This article focuses on how these needs and requirements interact in terms of learning. It does so in two ways. First, it develops new survey instruments to capture the learning…

We study how job-related well-being (measured by Warr’s ‘Enthusiasm’ and ‘Contentment’ scales) altered through the Great Recession, and how this is related to changing job quality. Using nationally representative data for Britain, we find that job-related well-being was stable between 2001 and 2006, but then declined between 2006 and 2012. We report relevant changes in…

Previous research on trends in the quality of work in Britain was carried out in a period marked by long-term growth and increasing prosperity. Although often taken as an exemplar case of a ‘liberal’ regime, the implications of an emphasis on deregulation and work-force flexibility for employees’ quality of work are arguably less serious when…

Fear at work can take several forms – worry about loss of employment, about unfair treatment and about job status loss in the organisation. This report examines what has been happening in British workplaces over the last decade.

Working hard can be challenging, stressful and costly, but it can also be stimulating, rewarding and financially beneficial. Work intensification was a feature of the early 1990s, after which work effort levelled off. This report tracks what has been happening in recent years.

Happiness at work is an important ingredient of national well-being. It can be measured in two core dimensions – ‘enthusiasm’ for, and ‘contentment’ with, the job.

Large investments of time and money are made by government, employers and workers in education and training. For the economy to thrive, the best use needs to be made of the skills produced. This report provides new evidence on whether employers in Britain are doing so and whether jobs are being upskilled.

Good quality and extensive training opportunities are essential for increasing the skills of the workforce. This report tracks what has been happening in Britain’s workplaces in recent years.

Employees’ ability to influence decisions at work is one of the most important factors affecting their motivation and psychological well-being, and is also associated with good physical health. This report examines the trends in different types of employee control in British workplaces, and presents a mixed picture.