News & Press
IES experts are available for comment and interviews. Their knowledge and views are supported by independent research and extensive experience.
Contact the Press Office: Email Steve O'Rourke or call 01273 763414
Follow us on our LinkedIn company page or join our IES HR Group
-
Working together to prevent risk
11 Mar 2015The responsibility to manage work-related risks at an early stage lies mainly with employers, but the active involvement of workers is also crucial. Overall, involving workers in the management of occupational health and safety is recognised as a key enabler in terms of identifying and reducing risk: through effectively working together on risk prevention, workers and managers can identify joint solutions and ensure full cooperation for workplace safety, health and wellbeing. It is acknowledged that this can have a real impact on accident and injury rates. Research1 analysing the relationship between worker representation and industrial injuries in UK manufacturing found that employers who had trade union health and safety committees had half the injury rate of those employers who managed safety without unions or joint arrangements.
-
Assistant practitioners in the NHS
11 Mar 2015Demand on the NHS is steadily increasing, with no sign that this will subside in the near future, if recent news items are anything to judge by: there have been reports that pressure on hospital A&E departments has led several to declare ‘major incident’ status. These pressures have led managers to consider potential ways in which services can be delivered more cost-effectively. One of the questions that managers have particularly considered is the nature of the tasks that require professionally-qualified staff – those at band 5 and above in the NHS ‘Agenda for Change’ grading and pay structure – to undertake them.
-
Promoting equality, diversity and inclusion in further education
11 Mar 2015As public sector bodies, all colleges and training providers are required to ensure that students receive equitable provision of and access to services. In addition, they are also required to consciously consider: eliminating discrimination, harassment and violence; advancing equality of opportunity; and fostering good relationships by tackling prejudice and promoting understanding. IES was commissioned to evaluate the Skills Funding Agency's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion grants from 2010-2013. We found that this funding was crucial for many providers, especially in a financial climate where some may be tempted to cut back on EDI as an organisational or strategic priority.
-
Flexible working remains a mainstay of the UK labour market
11 Mar 2015Social and demographic changes, in addition to the rise of new technology, have meant that flexible working and work-life balance have become mainstream issues in the UK labour market. The most recent UK survey of work-life balance, by IFF in collaboration with IES, gives an overview.
-
The impact of intra-EU mobility on UK public services
11 Mar 2015Mobility within the EU and its impact on public services and labour markets in receiving countries is one of the hottest topics in European public policy. Fears in the UK centre on a potential increase in the number of individuals moving to the UK, primarily to access better quality public services. But are these fears rooted in evidence?
-
New joint IES research into encouraging and supporting the employment of people with disabilities
27 Jan 2015The European Parliament recently published joint research by IES and Matrix, on the costs and returns of investments for reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities.
-
What is in a name?
15 Jan 2015I have been writing and talking about HR business partners a lot recently and this has reminded me of the importance of terminology.