Projects

This project will investigate the link between internal migration and social mobility. More specifically, to what extent does migration from deprived to prosperous areas allow individuals who were born into families with low socio-economic status to experience upward social mobility. Furthermore, it will investigate the level and direction of migration flows from deprived areas, and how such out-migrations affect the people living in those areas. These questions will be answered using a mixed methods approach, comprising of a quantitative analysis of secondary and aggregate data and a qualitative analysis of insights we will gather by conducting interviews with individuals who have migrated out of deprived areas, and focus group discussions with who those are living in deprived areas.

This project will investigate the link between internal migration and social mobility. IES will explore to what extent migration from deprived to prosperous areas allows individuals who were born into families with low socio-economic status to experience upward social mobility. Furthermore, it will investigate the level and direction of migration flows from deprived areas, and how such out-migrations affect people living in those areas. These questions will be answered using a mixed methods approach, comprising of a quantitative analysis of secondary and aggregate data sources and a qualitative analysis of insights we will gather by conducting interviews with individuals who have migrated out of deprived areas and focus group discussions with those who are living in deprived areas.

This project, on behalf of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, is focused on identifying labour market interventions aimed at combating labour market segmentation (including those addressing differences in employment protection) in a selection of European countries (France, Germany, Spain and the UK). IES has been contracted by the Public Policy Management Institute to provide expert input on the situation in the UK. Key findings will feed into a comparative overview report providing evidence and policy pointers on labour market interventions that are effective in overcoming labour market segmentation.

IES, working with the Careers Research and Advisory Centre (CRAC) and Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA), is undertaking research for the Department for Education into EU staff at UK higher education institutions to understand in greater depth individuals’ routes into working in the UK, their skills, current roles and longer-term career plans. The project will also develop the department’s understanding of how this relates to providers’ recruitment and retention plans in the short- to long-term, alongside wider workforce planning. The work involves analysis of HESA data, an online survey of HR directors, and an online survey of EU staff.

Progression in Employment is a two-year research project led by IES and supported by the JPMorgan Chase Foundation through its global New Skills at Work initiative. The project focuses on employer practice enabling low-skilled workers to achieve career progression. The research will be supported by case studies from key employers in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Sweden, whilst the analysis itself will focus on opportunities in the retail, social care and hospitality sectors. This will include an analysis of labour market trends and national policies in each country. IES will be working in partnership with Entreprise et Personnel and Frederic Turlan in France; Wilke, Maack and Partners in Germany; Istituto per Ricerca Sociale in Italy; Oxford Research in Sweden; and IKEI in Spain. We hope this research will provide valuable insights for employers and policymakers, whilst raising awareness of latent talent pools to recruiters and employers in sectors currently experiencing acute staffing needs. Read our press release announcing the project, here. Subscribe to IES email updates to keep up to date with the project.

IES is supporting the Renaisi’s internal evaluation of their refugee employment programme, RISE. IES will help validate Renaisi’s internal findings, create a baseline and benchmark from which to measure project impact, create some online content to report on their work and contribute to joint learning events.

IES has been commissioned to provide CIPD with a guide on workforce planning for HR practitioners using illustrations from case study examples. In the context of the current labour market tightness and uncertainties (including Brexit and potential immigration controls) the guide will aim to advise organisations how they might plan in these circumstances. For further content on the impact of Brexit follow the IES Brexit Observatory.

Rachel Marangozov took up an expert role for the European Commission’s ESF Thematic Learning Network on Migrants. The aim of the role was to facilitate and strengthen transnational exchange and cooperation between the ESF managing and implementing bodies and other strategic stakeholders.

IES is conducting an online survey of all non-UK European veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses who are registered to practise with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and are currently living in the UK. The survey aims to find out how the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union is impacting on the work experiences and career/life plans of these individuals. It will also collect their views about the impact of Brexit on the veterinary profession in the UK. The baseline survey will be followed by two further surveys over the next two years, to enable the RCVS to track the opinions and movements of European veterinary surgeons and nurses; in addition, there will be follow-up interviews with a small sample of respondents every time the survey is run. This work on behalf of the RCVS adds to IES’s programme of Brexit-related activity, and is being informed and guided by our panel of Brexit experts.

This project for Equality and Human Rights Commission sets out to explore what is meant by a ‘vulnerable group’ and how it can be defined in relation to equality and human rights monitoring so that it is a meaningful concept.