Sally Wilson

BSc, PhD, FRSA

staff photo

Principal Research Fellow

sally.wilson@employment-studies.co.uk

+44(0)1273 763 463

Sally has more than twenty years’ experience of conducting applied research in workplace health and wellbeing. Her specialisms include occupational health and safety, mental health and disability.

Within IES, Sally has worked with a wide range of clients including those in government departments and agencies (eg the Ministry of Defence, DCMS, the Home Office, the Cabinet Office, HSE, the Food Standards Agency, Public Health England), local government (eg WECA, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea) and charities (eg Mind, Macmillan Cancer Support). In a European context she has managed research projects on occupational health for EU-OSHA, EASME (an agency of the European Commission) and the European Cancer Patient Coalition. She has also worked on projects in a health services delivery context on topics such as paramedic training and recruitment and health coaching.

Sally has a background in behavioural and health sciences having completed a PhD in neuropsychology at the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit in Cambridge. Much of her recent work has focussed on workplace mental wellbeing and interventions to upskill line managers in sectors such as rail transport, construction and first-response workers. She has an interest in behavioural insights and was co-developer of the government’s ‘ORGANISER’ model of employer behaviour and is currently working with the Rail Safety and Standards Board to develop guidance around workplace health behaviours which can impact on long-term health.

Her expertise extends to quality of work, work-life balance and working while caring. She recently project-managed a large evaluation of a national pilot (funded by the Department of Health and Social Care, DWP and the Government Equalities Office) looking at local community, health, and employer interventions to support informal carers who also work, and appeared in front of the Work and Pensions Select Committee to report the findings.

Before joining IES Sally worked at the Health and Safety Laboratory (part of the Health and Safety Executive) and at the Sheffield Institute for Studies on Ageing, as well as the Age and Cognitive Performance Research Centre at the University of Manchester.

Education

1999 University of Cambridge, MRC Cognition and
Brain Sciences Unit		 PhD
1994 University of Nottingham BSc, Psychology

Career

2004‑2006 Research Fellow, Sheffield Institute for Studies on Ageing, University of Sheffield
1999‑2004 Senior Psychologist, Health and Safety Laboratory

CV details

Research publications

Articles and chapters

Conference appearances

  • Understanding Needs and Co-Developing a Workplace Intervention to Support Healthy Lifestyle Behaviours in Young Adults, Wilson S, Health and wellbeing at work conference 2024, 12 March 2024
  • In-work poverty and mental health , Wilson S, MIND policy roundtable, 6th November 2023
  • Ways for businesses and policy makers to improve quality of work in London and sectors to target, and Londoners’ satisfaction with a leisure time, Wilson S, What influences Londoners’ wellbeing and what can help?, Queen Mary University of London, 9 November 2023
  • An RCT to understand the elements of successful mental health training for managers, Wilson S, Division of Occupational Psychology Annual Conference, January 2020
  • Findings from the RSSB project, Wilson S, Mental Health and Wellbeing Thought Leadership Forum, January 2020
  • Controlling risks & promoting mental health at work, Wilson S, Certificate in Managing Mental Health at Work Conference, The At Work Partnership and Department of Clinical Sciences at Brunel University, London, June 2019
  • Understanding the evidence base for successful mental health training for line managers, Wilson S, Martin A, Westminster Insight's Managing Mental Health in the Workplace Conference, Westminster Insight, London, March 2019
  • Contributor to educator wellbeing research steering group meeting, Wilson S, Education Support Partnership, Education Support Partnership, London, December 2018
  • Organisational intelligence, Wilson S, The At Work Partnership seminar: Managing long-term sickness absence: a biopsychosocial approach, The At Work Partnership, London, December 2018
  • Effectiveness of line manager training for mental health in the rail industry, O'Sullivan M, Wilson S, Martin A, Institution of Occupational Safety and Health Rail Industry Conference 2018, Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, Manchester, November 2018
  • Practicable and implementable policy insights on the care economy, Wilson S, Bjørnholt M, Apolitical webinar: The Care Economy, Apolitical, [Online], October 2018
  • Discussant on informal care economy, Wilson S, Demos roundtable on the informal care economy, Demos, London, July 2018
  • Student wellbeing and what it means for recruiters, Pollard E, Wilson S, Graduate Recruitment Network seminar on student wellbeing and what it means for recruiters, Graduate Recruitment Network, London, June 2018
  • Roundtable contributor, Wilson S, Social Market Foundation roundtable on the role of family in providing care, Social Market Foundation, London, April 2018
  • Managing mental wellbeing in a research environment: some lessons from other sectors, Wilson S, Vitae conference: Preparing researchers for an unknown future: Cultures, behaviours and mindsets, Vitae, Birmingham, January 2018
  • Exploring the wellbeing, mental health and retention of postgraduate researchers, Wilson S, Vitae Researcher Development International Conference 2017, Vitae, Birmingham, September 2017
  • Finding the Right Balance, What Works for Working Carers, Wilson S, Long Term Conditions: Health at work conference 2017, Sterling Events, Birmingham, March 2017
  • Organisational responses to mental health, Wilson S, Mental Health at work, The @ Work Partnership, London, February 2017
  • Long-term sickness absence: why it matters and what can be done, Wilson S, Long-term sickness absence: Employee, employer and the State, Eversheds, Leeds, December 2014
  • Long-term sickness absence: why it matters and what can be done, Wilson S, Long-term sickness absence: Employee, employer and the State, Eversheds, London, November 2014
  • Long-term sickness absence: why it matters and what can be done, Wilson S, Long-term sickness absence: Employee, employer and the State, Eversheds, Leeds, November 2014
  • Evidence Review for Preparing, Sustaining and Enhancing Psychological Resilience in the UK Armed Forces, Wilson S, 3rd Military Psychological Well-Being Conference 2014: The Psychological Well-being of the Military in Transition, The British Psychological Society (Wessex Branch), Shrivenham, November 2014
  • Long-term sickness absence: why it matters and what can be done, Wilson S, Long-term sickness absence: Employee, employer and the State, Eversheds, Birmingham, October 2014
  • Panel discussion: Targetted occupational health issues including stress, rehabilitation and gender related issues, Wilson S, Pushing health up the workplace agenda, British Safety Council, London, October 2014
  • Quality of working life and wellbeing in an era of austerity and underemployment: A UK perspective, Wilson S, Qualite de vie au travail, Entreprise & Personnel, Paris, February 2013
  • Occupational health and workability, Wilson S, Age Management in a Maturing Workforce 'Fine wine in old bottles', RoSPA and TAEN - The Age Management and Employment Network, Birmingham, June 2010
  • Achieving Change Using the Supply Chain Model in Construction, Wilson S, HSE Seminar: Tackling Health Issues in Construction - the Supply Chain Model, Health Risk Management Unit, Construction Division, HSE, London, June 2010
  • Preventing future absence, Wilson S, Fit for work: reducing and preventing absence, Eversheds, Manchester, May 2009
  • Employee financial well-being: what should employers know and do about it?, Wilson S, Fit for work: reducing and preventing absence, Eversheds, Manchester, May 2009
  • Managing Absence, Wilson S, Fit for work: reducing and preventing absence, Eversheds, Manchester, May 2009
  • Preventing future absence, Wilson S, Fit for work: reducing and preventing absence, Eversheds, London, May 2009
  • Health and employment: an employer perspective, Aston J, Wilson S, 17th UKPHA Annual Public Health Forum, UKPHA, London, March 2009
  • Mental health issues at work: recent interventions and implications for employers and policy makers, Wilson S, Lucy D, IES 40th Anniversary Work and Well-being seminar, IES, London, October 2008

Advisory roles and affiliations

  • Member of Education Support Partnership's educator wellbeing research steering group (2018 - 2018)
  • Member of supervisory board for University of Manchester project on wellbeing and mental health of postgraduate researchers (2018 - present)
  • Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (2018 - present)
  • Expert witness to Work and Pensions Select Committee evidence session on support for carers (2018 - 2018)
  • Specialist Advisor to Working Age Dementia Study, Public Health England (2015 - 2016)
  • Member of advisory committee for Nuffield Foundation funded research on Lone Parents, Mental Health and Employment (2011 - 2011)
  • Behavioural Specialist for Foods Standards Agency’s Register of Specialists (2018 - present)
  • Peer Review for NIHR, PRP - Stage 2 - NIHR202998 - Supporting employers to narrow disability employment and pay gaps in the UK (2021 - 2021)

Projects