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In this episode of the Future of Work Hub's In Conversation podcast, Lucy Lewis is joined by Professor Alan Felstead, Emeritus Professor at Cardiff University and a leading expert on work, skills and employment. Alan shares insights from the landmark Skills and Employment Survey 2024, exploring how the world of work in the UK is evolving, what workers value, and the challenges and opportunities facing employers and policymakers.
- Click here to listen on Spotify
- Click here to listen on Apple podcasts
- Click here to download the transcript
Key takeaways
1. Make fair work your business advantage: When
employers treat workers as valued assets, fostering respect,
autonomy and development, it strengthens wellbeing, drives business
improvement, and sets the foundation for lasting organisational
success. Regularly survey staff to track how job quality is
changing over time and identify areas for improvement.
2. Foster meaningful work by investing in line manager
capabilities: Research shows that the majority of workers
find their jobs meaningful, with managerial support, skill
utilisation and participation at work playing a greater role than
pay in driving a sense of purpose. Organisations should train
managers to provide timely guidance, deliver constructive feedback,
and show empathy - particularly when supporting younger employees
and new joiners.
3. Prioritise genuine employee participation:
Employee control over job tasks has sharply declined, negatively
impacting wellbeing and productivity. Employers should regularly
measure and monitor employee task discretion across their
organisation and hold managers accountable for progress.
4. Promote equality in flexible working: Offering
a range of solutions, such as flexi-time, compressed hours, and
part-time roles, helps to ensure all employees, including those
whose jobs cannot be done remotely or who lack dedicated home
workspaces, can access the benefits of flexible working.
For more discussion of the themes explored in this podcast, see the Hub's latest report "Strategic workforce priorities - What matters most?".
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