LGA Good Work Project

Helping councils and combined authorities to support good work in their local area

This research project was undertaken by IES on behalf of the Local Government Association (LGA). As the national representative body for local authorities in England, the LGA is keen to support its members to understand how local and combined authorities can create and promote the creation of good work. 

The Good Work project aims to evidence the benefits of engaging with local employers to create good work and how this can help local communities thrive, integrating a review of evidence with case studies of councils across a diverse range of local areas. To do this, the project involved a literature review, focusing on definitions of good work, policy levers e.g. local good work charters, and outcomes for employers, workers and local communities. This was followed by a stakeholder roundtable with councils and wider organisations implementing place friendly initiatives to share insights from the evidence review and discuss good practice and key issues relating to delivering the Good Work agenda in their localities.

Local area case studies were produced featuring interviews with councils and employers across a range of different localities, to further explore the themes investigated in the review as well as local good practice, and practical application across a range of areas with different characteristics. Finally, drawing from all previous activities, a narrative was created that makes the case for councils and combined authorities to work with local businesses and employers to collectively achieve local outcomes.