Jonny has been conducting applied research in work, HR and people management for over 20 years. His interests centre on job quality, employee relations and factors affecting performance and wellbeing.
Much of Jonny’s work has focused on evidence-based HR. This has involved leading evidence reviews, facilitating knowledge exchange between academia and HR professionals and promoting evidence-based decision making. Jonny also has extensive experience in designing, leading and conducting qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods research in work and organisational settings, including a large randomised trial and other evaluations. His research spans a range of topics, including new work technologies, employee motivation and commitment, meaningful work, employee involvement in decision-making, team performance and performance management, organisational culture and climate, employee resilience, workplace conflict, and social class / socio-economic background.
Before joining IES, Jonny worked at the CIPD for 12 years, where he established its Applied Research Conference, Good Work Index and evidence-based HR programme, and latterly headed up its research team. He has also held research posts at Westminster Business School and Roffey Park Institute. Jonny is a Fellow of the Center for Evidence-Based Management (CEBMa), an Academic Member of the CIPD, Associate Editor at the Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance (JOEPP), and a PhD candidate at Tilburg University, Netherlands, where his thesis centres on work autonomy and managerial control.
Education
| 2003 | Warwick University | MA Social Research and Comparative Labour Studies |
| 1998 | Sussex University | BA Social Anthropology |
Career
| 2018 | Visiting Fellow | Westminster Business School, University of Westminster |
| 2012-2024 | Research Advisor, Senior Research Advisor, Interim Head of Research | Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development |
| 2008-2012 | Senior Researcher, Principal Researcher | Roffey Park Institute |
| 2004–2008 | Research Officer, Research Fellow | Institute for Employment Studies |
| 1998–2002 | Teacher of English as a foreign language | Paris, Barcelona, Seville and UK |
Publications
Applied research:
BOSLEY, A. & GIFFORD, J. 2023. Effective people managers: An evidence review. Practice summary and recommendations. . London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
CIOCA, I. & GIFFORD, J. 2022a. Performance feedback: an evidence review. Practice summary and recommendations. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
CIOCA, I. & GIFFORD, J. 2022b. Recruiting young people facing disadvantage: an evidence review. Practice summary and recommendations. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
CIOCA, I. & GIFFORD, J. 2022c. Retaining disadvantaged young people in work: an evidence review. Practice summary and recommendations. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
COTTON, C., GIFFORD, J. & YOUNG, J. 2022. Incentives and recognition: an evidence review. Practice summary and recommendations. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
DENVIR, A., BROUGHTON, A., GIFFORD, J. & HILL, D. 2007. The Experiences of Sexual Orientation and Religion or Belief Discrimination Employment Tribunal Claimants. London: Acas.
GIFFORD, J. 2007. The Changing HR Function – survey report. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
GIFFORD, J. 2011. The fair and inclusive journeys of leading employers. Singapore: Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices.
GIFFORD, J. 2013. Social technology, social business? London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
GIFFORD, J. 2014a. Our minds at work: developing the behavioural science of HR. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
GIFFORD, J. 2014b. Putting social media to work: Lessons from employers. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
GIFFORD, J. 2015. Getting under the skin of workplace conflict: Tracing the experiences of employees. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
GIFFORD, J. 2016a. Could do better? Assessing what works in performance management. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
GIFFORD, J. 2016b. In search of the best available evidence. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
GIFFORD, J., BARENDS, E. & YOUNG, J. 2023a. Building an evidence-based people profession. Available from: https://www.cipd.org/uk/views-and-insights/thought-leadership/insight/evidence-based-profession/.
GIFFORD, J., BARENDS, E. & YOUNG, J. 2023b. Evidence-based HR: Make better decisions and step up your influence. Guide. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
GIFFORD, J., BOURY, D., FINNEY, L., GARROW, V., HATCHER, C., MEREDITH, M. & RANN, R. 2012. What makes change successful in the NHS? . Newbury: NHS South of England.
GIFFORD, J., CARTA, E. & COX, A. 2008. Acas Workplace Training Impact Survey 2008. London: Acas.
GIFFORD, J., COTTON, C. & YOUNG, J. 2021a. Financial wellbeing: an evidence review. Practice summary and guidance. . London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
GIFFORD, J. & FINNEY, L. 2011. The Expert as Leader. Horsham: Roffey Park Institute.
GIFFORD, J., FINNEY, L. & BOURY, D. 2010a. Hearing our people’s voices: employee engagement in Royal Mail. London: Royal Mail Group.
GIFFORD, J., FINNEY, L., HENNESSY, J. & VARNEY, S. 2010b. The Human Voice of Employee Engagement: Understanding what lies beneath the surveys. Horsham: Roffey Park Institute.
GIFFORD, J., GREEN, M., BARENDS, E., JANSSEN, B., CAPEZIO, A. & NGO, N. 2019a. Rotten Apples, Bad Barrels and Sticky Situations: An evidence review of unethical workplace behaviour. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
GIFFORD, J., GREEN, M., YOUNG, J. & URWIN, P. 2019b. Diversity Management that Works: an evidence-based view. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
GIFFORD, J., HENNESSY, J., BOURY, D. & SINCLAIR, A. 2009. The Management Agenda 2009. Horsham: Roffey Park Institute.
GIFFORD, J. & HOUGHTON, E. 2019. People and machines: from hype to reality. Research report. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
GIFFORD, J., HOUGHTON, E., MARTORANA, S. & ZHELTOUKHOVA, K. 2016. The School for Health and Care Radicals: What impact has it had? Coventry: NHS England.
GIFFORD, J., MAXWELL, G. & YOUNG, J. 2021b. Mental wellbeing and digital work: an evidence review. Evidence Summary. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
GIFFORD, J., NEATHEY, F. & LOUKAS, G. 2005. Employee Involvement: Information, Consultation and Discretion. Brighton: Institute for Employment Studies.
GIFFORD, J. & SARKAR, S. 2018. UK Working Lives: 2018 survey report. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
GIFFORD, J. & SPRINGETT, N. 2010. Review of the National Senior Careers Advisory Service (NSCAS). London: National Policing Improvement Agency.
GIFFORD, J., URWIN, P. & CERQUA, A. 2017. Strengths-based performance conversations: an organisational field trial. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
GIFFORD, J. & WIETRAK, E. 2022a. Organisational culture and climate: an evidence review. Practice summary and recommendations. Londond: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
GIFFORD, J. & WIETRAK, E. 2022b. People performance: an evidence review. Practice summary and recommendations. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
GIFFORD, J. & YOUNG, J. 2021a. Employee Engagement: Definitions, Measures and Outcomes. . London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
GIFFORD, J. & YOUNG, J. 2021b. Employee resilience: an evidence review. Evidence Summary. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
GREEN, M., BOND, H., MILLER, J. & GIFFORD, J. 2018. Diversity and inclusion at work: facing up to the business case. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
HIRSH, W., CARTER, A., GIFFORD, J., STREBLER, M. & BALDWIN, S. 2008. What Customers Want From HR. Brighton Institute for Employment Studies.
LUCY, D., MASON, B., SINCLAIR, A., BOSLEY, A. & GIFFORD, J. 2023. Fair selection: An evidence review. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
ROBINSON, D. & GIFFORD, J. (eds.) 2014. The Future of Engagement: Thought Piece Collection, Brighton: Institute for Employment Studies.
WHEATLEY, D. & GIFFORD, J. 2019. UK Working Lives: survey report 2019. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
WIETRAK, E., CIOCA, I. & GIFFORD, J. 2019. Multisource feedback and work performance. Title registration for a systematic review. Oslo: Campbell Collaboration.
WIETRAK, E. & GIFFORD, J. 2022. Knowledge work performance: An evidence review. Practice summary and recommendations London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
WIETRAK, E. & GIFFORD, J. 2024. Trust and psychological safety: An evidence review. Practice summary and recommendations. . London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
WILLIAMS, M., ZHOU, Y., ZOU, M. & GIFFORD, J. 2020. CIPD Good Work Index 2020: UK Working Lives Survey. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
YOUNG, J. & GIFFORD, J. 2021. Employee Engagement: an evidence review. . London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
YOUNG, J. & GIFFORD, J. 2022. Bullying and incivility at work: an evidence review. Practice summary and recommendations. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
YOUNG, J. & GIFFORD, J. 2023a. High-performing teams: An evidence review. Practice summary and guidance. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
YOUNG, J. & GIFFORD, J. 2023b. Productive meetings: An evidence review. Practice summary and recommendations. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
YOUNG, J., GIFFORD, J. & LANCASTER, A. 2021. Effective virtual classrooms: an evidence review. . London: Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development.
Peer-reviewed papers:
ANDERSON, V., GIFFORD, J. & WILDMAN, J. 2020. An evaluation of social learning and learner outcomes in a massive open online course (MOOC): a healthcare sector case study. Human Resource Development International, 23, 208-237.
GIFFORD, J. 2022. Remote working: unprecedented increase and a developing research agenda. Human Resource Development International, 25, 105–113.
GIFFORD, J., GOULD, M., LATREILLE, P. & URWIN, P. 2016. Workplace Conflict: Who, Where, When and Why? . In: SAUNDRY, R., LATREILLE, P. & ASHMAN, I. (eds.) Reframing Resolution: Innovation and Change in the Management of Workplace Conflict. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
GIFFORD, J. & YOUNG, J. 2021. Employee Engagement: drivers, measures and outcomes. Journal of Total Rewards, 30, 35-52.
WANG, S., KAMERĀDE, D., BESSA, I., BURCHELL, B., GIFFORD, J., GREEN, M. & RUBERY, J. 2022. The Impact of Reduced Working Hours and Furlough Policies on Workers’ Mental Health at the Onset of COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Study. Journal of Social Policy, 1-25.
WILLIAMS, M., GIFFORD, J. & ZHOU, Y. 2022. Social stratification in meaningful work: Occupational class disparities in the United Kingdom. The British Journal of Sociology, 73, 536–553.