Stephen Bevan

BSc, PGCE

staff photo

Head of HR Research Development

stephen.bevan@employment-studies.co.uk

+44(0)1273 763 424

Stephen Bevan is head of HR research development at IES with responsibility for developing innovative new projects and programmes with IES partners and other collaborators. Stephen returned to IES in April 2016 after spending 15 years as Director of Research and Managing Director at The Work Foundation.

Stephen has conducted research and consultancy on high-performance work practices, employee reward strategy, performance management, staff engagement and retention, and 'good work'. He has a special interest in workforce health and wellbeing, having led a number of national and international projects focusing on workforce health and the impact of chronic illness on productivity and social inclusion. He is the Project Director of a major impact evaluation project for the Work and Health Joint Unit which is tracking the progress of health-led trials for people with mental health and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).

Stephen is an adviser to a number of UK government departments and has advised employers and policymakers in Europe, Asia-Pacific, Australasia and North America. He has received a special award from GAMIAN-Europe for his contribution to the field of mental health and employment and is a reviewer for several academic journals, including The Lancet. Stephen is a regular columnist for HR Magazine, a judge at the Global Healthy Workplace Awards and an adviser the government’s Mental Health and Employment Review. He is a Board Member of the European HR Director’s Circle and a member of the Britain’s Healthiest Company expert advisory group. Stephen has appeared in HR Magazine's list of Most Influential HR Thinker for the past ten years. He has been an honorary professor at Lancaster University Management School since 2010.

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CV details

Research publications

Articles and chapters

Pilates, fruit and Amazon's zen booths: why workplace wellbeing efforts can fall short , Bevan S, The Conversation, June 2021
Remote working: why some people are more productive at home than others - new research, Bevan S, The Conversation, April 2021
Obesity is one of the last acceptable forms of discrimination - but should it be a protected characteristic in the workplace?, Bevan S, Independent, [Online], January 2019
Cancer survival is on the rise, but return to work rates are not keeping up, Bevan S, The Conversation, [Online], December 2018
Workforce health: Why 'good work' trumps fruit and pilates evangelism every time, Bevan S, Bajorek Z, HR Magazine, HR Magazine, October 2018, October 2018
Letters to the Editor: Stigma of obesity, Bevan S, The Daily Telegraph: Letters to the Editor, The Daily Telegraph, 2 June 2018, June 2018
Obesity at work: Fighting fat or fighting stigma?, Bevan S, HR Magazine, [Online], June 2018
21st century workforces and workplaces: The challenges and opportunities for future work practices and labour markets, Bevan S, Brinkley I, Cooper C, Bajorek Z, Bloomsbury Publishing, Bloomsbury, London, February 2018
The woman who died from overwork and the perils of a low-regulation economy, Bevan S, New Statesman, [Online], October 2017
Travailler partout?, Bevan S, Les cultures d'entreprise européenes au défi d'un nouveau monde, Éditions des Ilots de résistance, , October 2017
Can data and technology supplement the human touch?, Bevan S, Reba, [Online], Spring 2017
Can the grim reality of published pay ratios really curb executive pay?, Bevan S, The Conversation, [Online], September 2017
Workforce health as a business asset?, Bevan S, Employee Benefits Magazine, Employee Benefits, [Online], May 2017
Managing fluctuating health conditions at work, Bevan S, What next for health at work? Five years on from the Black/Frost review of sickness absence, Unum, [Online], February 2017
Next generation HR: Part two, Bevan S, HR Magazine, [Online], December 2016
What does the future of HR look like?, Bevan S, HR Magazine [Online], November 2016
HR professionals are still the people who tell you that you can’t do something, Bevan S, Article, Personnel Today [Online], September 2016
What can we learn from HR's emerging talent?, Bevan S, HR Magazine [Online], June 2016
Why mental illness at work need not be a solitary journey, Bevan S, Occupational health and wellbeing, Personnel Today (Online), June 2016
Analysing, monitoring and costing labour turnover, Bevan S, Chapter in Research handbook on employee turnover, EE Elgar, June 2016
Workplace Health in the UK, Bevan S, American Journal of Health Promotion, May 2016

Conference appearances

Covid-19 and musculoskeletal Heath , Bevan S, Annual Conference of the British Rheumatology Society, April 2021
Cancer survivors at work - the unspoken truth, Bevan S, Health and Wellbeing at Work conference, March 2021
Covid-19 and the implications for employee mental health , Bevan S, Scottish Enterprise, March 2021
Managing job insecurity and creating better quality work, Bevan S, PHE / SOM, February 2021
Labour is not a commodity , Bevan S, ADAPT Conference, ADAPT, Bergamo, Italy, November 2019
Recommendations for SMEs and Impact of Technology on Occupational Health, Bevan S, 6th Global Healthy Workplace Awards and Summit, Global Centre for Healthy Workplaces [Online], October 2018
Mental health at work, Bevan S, Tartu Healthcare College workshop on mental health and employment, Tartu Healthcare College, Tartu, Estonia, September 2018
Workforce health, Bevan S, 6th Global Healthy Workplace Awards, Global Centre for Healthy Workplaces, Bergamo, Italy, September 2018
Workplace health and wellbeing: Where is the ROI?, Bevan S, AIA Regional Employee Benefits Conference 2018, AIA Group, Singapore, August 2018
Psychosocial health at work, Bevan S, Institution of Occupational Safety and Health Annual Conference, Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), Nottingham, July 2018
Workplace mental health, Bevan S, Jockey Club TourHeart Project inaugural symposium on stepped care services and workplace mental health, Jockey Club TourHeart Project, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, June 2018
HR, technology and the future of work, Bevan S, European HRD Circle, European HRD Circle, Berlin, Germany, June 2018
Improving wellbeing and resilience at work - what the evidence tells us, Bevan S, Institution of Occupational Safety and Health: National Health and Safety Conference, Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), Nottingham, June 2018
Future of work, Bevan S, GLC 10th HR Minds Digitalisation Conference, GLC, Vienna, Austria, June 2018
Discrimination in employment, Bevan S, European congress on obesity, European Association for the Study of Obesity (EOSO), Vienna, Austria, May 2018
Incentivising better health in the context of economic contribution to GDP, Bevan S, European Association for the Study of Obesity Annual Policy Conference, European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO), Brussels, Belgium, May 2018
Chronic illness and employment, Bevan S, European Network of Fibromyalgia Associations awareness event, European Network of Fibromyalgia Associations, Valletta, Malta, May 2018
Developing an evidence based health and wellbeing strategy in the Home Office, Norbury H, Bevan S, Health and wellbeing at work conference 2018, Sterling Events, Birmingham, March 2018
The future of work and ethics in HR, Bevan S, Presentation to Greater Brighton Metropolitan College students, Greater Brighton Metropolitan College, Brighton, January 2018
Dementia-friendly workplaces, Bevan S, University of Salford OneCPD workplace health and wellbeing conference 2017, University of Salford, Salford, November 2017
Why psychosocial risk must be a bigger OSH priority, Bevan S, European Health and Safety Management Forum, GLC Europe, Berlin, Germany, September 2017
Judge, Bevan S, 5th Global Healthy Workplace Awards, Global Centre for Healthy Workplaces, Singapore, September 2017
How policymakers can help those with chronic pain thrive at work , Bevan S, Societal Impact of Pain (SIP) 2017 Symposium, Social Impact of Pain, Valletta, Malta, June 2017
Fibromyalgia and employment, Bevan S, European Parliament, Brussels, Belgium, April 2017
Chair of judging panel, Bevan S, Good Practice Exchange Event and Award Ceremony, European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA), Brussels, March 2017
Sorting your staff sickness struggles, Bevan S, Spotlight Webinar, BrightHR, London, March 2017
Good Work and Good Health - Top Tips for Employers, Bevan S, Health at Work Best Place to Work: Health and Wellbeing at Work Conference 2017, Sterling Events, Birmingham, March 2017
WorkLife podcast, Bevan S, WorkLife Hub Podcast, WorkLife Hub, Soundcloud, December 2016
Balancing incentives, regulation and reflective bargaining, Bevan S, Job quality and mental health, OECD, Paris, France, November 2016
Best practice in employee wellbeing, Bevan S, Spotlight Session, Work & Well-Being, London, November 2016
The future of work and the issue of sustainability: Framing the issue, Bevan S, The future of work: A matter of sustainability, Adapt and University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy, November 2016
Health and work: The economic, political, legal and social consequences of ill-health in the workforce, Bevan S, PhD seminar on Health at Work, University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy, November 2016
The true cost of absence, Bevan S, Workplace Health 2016, The @ Work Partnership, Warwickshire, October 2016
Workforce health strategies – the role of good work and digital health in employee well-being, Bevan S, Employee Benefits Live 2016 Conference, Employee Benefits, London, October 2016
Identifying the challenges and implementing the strategies, Bevan S, Contributor, Annual Conference: Health and work in a changing world, British Safety Council, London, October 2016
Fluctuating conditions in the workforce: organisational and individual roles and responsibilities, Bevan S, The Third Annual Work, Health and Wellbeing Conference 2016, University of Salford and the International Disability Management Standards Council UK, Salford, September 2016
Working futures: Rhetoric meets reality, Bevan S, presentation to the Board of Unum, Unum, London, July 2016
The strengths and weaknesses of health and work strategies in global companies, Bevan S, Workforce health in global businesses, Willis Towers Watson, London, July 2016
Interventions – evidence and options, Bevan S, Wellbeing at work, The At Work Partnership, London, July 2016
Workforce health as an asset, Bevan S, Health at work metrics, World Bank, Washington DC, USA, June 2016
Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain and Work Productivity in Europe, Bevan S, Societal Impact of Pain 2016: Time for Action, Brussels, May 2016
Working Anywhere: Digital Disruption to the Idea that Work is a Place, Bevan S, 6th European HR Directors Circle Forum, Lisbon, May 2016
How Blue is the Thin Blue Line? - Police officers and mental health, Bevan S, Police Federation Annual Conference 2016, Police Federation, Bournemouth, May 2016
Overview of the current national policy and initiatives: What employers need to know, Bevan S, Health @ Work Summit, London, May 2016
Workforce health: what works and why?, Bevan S, Workforce health promotion, Cigna, London, May 2016
What Does 'Good Work' Look like in the 21st Century?, Bevan S, 2nd Aviation HR Conference, Ground Handling International, Lisbon, April 2016

Advisory roles and affiliations

Member of the AIA Institute (Hong Kong) expert advisory board on workplace health (2017 - 2020)
Member of the All Party Parliamentary Group on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and employment (2017 - present)
Member of advisory panel for RAND study on health and wellbeing interventions available to employers (2017 - 2018)
Adviser to the Prime Minister's review of mental health and employment (2017 - present)
Member of the Department for Work and Pensions green paper expert advisory group (2016 - present)
Member of the European Brain Council, mental health and employment advisory group (2016 - present)
Member of Dame Carol Black's expert panel for her review on behalf of the Prime Minister of employment interventions to support people with drug and alcohol addiction and obesity (2015 - 2016)
Judge at The Global Healthy Workplaces Awards (2014 - present)
Member of the Britain's Healthiest Company expert advisory group (2014 - present)
Board member of the European HR Director's Circle (2014 - present)
Member of the European Parliament Special Interests Groups on both mental health and musculoskeletal disorders (2014 - present)
Peer reviewer of The Lancet (2014 - present)