Publications

It wasn't so long ago that UK employers were worried about labour surpluses. Inevitably, as recession turns into boom, concern about growing levels of employee turnover and skill shortages bubble up once more. So are employers right to press the panic button again? Should they brace themselves once more for long-forgotten turbulence in the labour market?

Three approaches to managing attendance are discussed in this paper: management policy, preventative measures and rewarding attendance.

Flexible working is one of the most important vehicles for improving employees' ability to balance the demands of work and life. This paper summarises the main elements of a business case for flexible working. In doing so it draws upon labour market forecasts, research on employee demand for flexible working and recent studies of the bottom-line impact of adopting such practices.

This report focuses on the research tools used to quantify factors causing stress in the workplace. The report identifies existing approaches and looks for evidence of their reliability (do they produce consistent measures) and the validity of their results (do they measure what they are supposed to).

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reviewed the regulations on health and safety consultation and representation arrangements. To support the review it commissioned IES to examine: awareness about the requirements for consultation on health and safety among employers, safety representatives and employees; the process of consultation; the forms of consultation about health and safety in the absence of trade union appointed/elected employee representatives; the impact of consultation and representation on employers' approaches to the management of health and safety; and the extent to which employers do not consult employees and why.

An important theme in current and emerging government policy is the importance of practices that allow individuals to combine employment and caring responsibilities. These 'family-friendly' practices also have direct and measurable business benefits: reduced casual sickness absence, improved retention, productivity and recruitment, and improved morale and commitment. Recognising these benefits can help overcome the fears in small to medium sized enterprises that family-friendly policies are costly, impractical or a threat to stability. This publication is no longer available.

This report presents the results of the most detailed UK work yet to explore how employee attitudes and behaviour can improve customer retention and, as a consequence, company sales performance. It presents compelling data to demonstrate these links, highlights the 'Attitude Chain' model which underpins it, and highlights how other businesses can take this work forward in their own markets.

IES carried out an evaluation of workplace health in the NHS in 1995 which collected data from employees in 14 NHS Trusts. Subsequent reanalysis of the data, coupled with a comprehensive review of the academic literature on sickness absence, has resulted in a series of findings about the common causes of sickness absence which lead, in turn, onto discussion about the management strategies most likely to reduce it.

The IES Annual Graduate Review provides the latest information on trends and assessments of future prospects for the graduate labour market. It includes key facts, figures and commentary on the main changes influencing student demand, the changing characteristics of the student population, and graduates’ experiences in a more diverse labour market. This publication is no longer available.

By the late 1990s it was estimated that sickness absence cost the UK economy £11 billion each year. With changes to the sick pay rules, and growing concern over workplace stress, many employers were seeking ways of managing attendance. This report looks at how this could be done, and reviews the policies of over 30 leading UK organisations to present a model of good practice. The report also highlights key international research findings on absence.