Projects

The Centre for Research on Self-Employment (CRSE) has commissioned IES to carry out research that will help to identify different segments of the self-employed workforce in the UK and quantify how many exist in each category. This research aims to provide a definitive framework to segment the self-employed labour market.

IES is supporting the Civilian HR Capabilities team to develop aspects of their Skills Strategy; specifically in developing a learning culture and the skills the organisation needs both now and in the future. Gaps have been identified in the information available on learning and development, in career development, capability building and in evaluation/audit strategies. Through a range of projects, IES will offer support to better understand the current culture within the Ministry of Defence civil service with regard to learning and development, exploring how external organisations develop a learning culture and understand how other organisations measure the benefits and return on training.

IES was contracted by the Istituto per la ricerca sociale (Italy) to conduct the UK case study on the multiple discrimination faced by women with disabilities in the labour market. This research, for the European Parliament, included identifying all relevant national data and indicators, relevant legal framework and policies to address such discrimination, and concrete examples of gender mainstreaming in the UK’s disability policy.

IES received a grant from the Money Advice Service to help promote and guide effective employer actions in supporting their employees’ financial wellbeing. Throughout 2016 IES worked with the CIPD to create practical guidance for employers on why and how to support their employees’ financial wellbeing whilst avoiding any liability and minimising the risks of ineffective investments. IES piloted the guidance in three organisations to stimulate both more action and more effective action to support and improve their employees’ financial wellbeing during 2017. The effectiveness of the actions and the tool will be evaluated. This evaluation supported the notion of a tripartite approach to improving the financial wellbeing of the working-age population: employers cannot leave it to government to solve or assume it is a personal responsibility of employees to address on their own. The project highlighted the appetites of employees for intervention and support; and of employers to deliver this support to employees. It also highlighted the role for government to support employers in delviering effective financial wellbeing interventions, and to encourage individuals to take greater personal responsibility for their financial wellbeing.

IES has been asked by CEC to undertake a literature review of ‘what works’ in delivering schemes aimed at supporting school leavers to develop eportfolios, records of achievement and careers passports. The project will also investigate the impact of using their resources on school leavers’ employability and how employers use these forms of evidence when recruiting young people.

IES is collaborating with Old Bell 3 to deliver the evaluation of In-Work Support under the Healthy Working Wales Programme. IES will develop a theory of change through leading policy maker interviews and a targeted literature review. To build consensus on the draft model of how the programme should operate, IES will lead a workshop with policy makers. The theory of change assumptions and hypotheses will be tested as part of evaluation activities. These will include exploring the views of employers, individuals, GPs and others, as well as analysing management information on the numbers of people receiving support through the programme and their outcomes.

IES has been asked by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) to conduct online surveys of all veterinary nurses and veterinary surgeons registered to practise in the UK. This consultation aims to improve understanding of how Schedule 3 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 (which outlines the activities that may be delegated to veterinary nurses) is used and interpreted in practice, and how the legislation could be clarified. The survey results will inform a review of the future role of the veterinary nurse.

IES and WMP Consult, Hamburg, have been commissioned to examine the articulation of social dialogue between the EU level – cross-sector and sector – and the national level in EU Member States, in order to ascertain how well the EU social dialogue is functioning. The project comprises a literature review, interviews with experts at EU level and 10 case studies of individual sectors and agreements.

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.

The aim of this project is to provide some models of provision which are effective in engaging low attainers at the age of 16, enabling them to progress in learning and training and achieve valuable qualifications. The research will involve 20 one-day visits to create qualitative case studies of provision for this group. Case study analysis will illuminate facets of effective practice which can then provide good practice models to disseminate and inform provision for the transition year under the post-16 reforms. This work is a companion piece to the York Consulting project Effective Practice in supporting Entry/Level 1 students in post-16 institutions (2016).