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Issue Description
The recession has changed the face of work in the UK, with unemployment levels rising and employers seeking to protect their businesses as best they can. How has this affected our attitudes to issues such as work-life balance, career fulfilment and job satisfaction? Is there a culture of absenteeism in the UK? What rights does an employee have? How do parents balance work and family? What problems do young workers face? These are some of the issues explored in Work and Employment.
The information comes from a wide range of sources and includes government reports and statistics, newspaper reports, features, magazine articles and surveys, literature from lobby groups and charitable organisations.
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Key Facts
- Employees are more than twice as likely to say their personal standard of living has worsened (28%) over the last six months, as they are to say it has improved (14%). (page 3)
- The average age at which people feel or will feel totally confident and comfortable about their skills at work is 37, according to a YouGov survey. (page 6)
- Almost two-thirds of Brits (60 per cent) would like to be their own boss, according to new research into small businesses from ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants). (page 7)
- Cost to the British economy of working age ill-health in terms of working days lost and worklessness is over £100bn each year. (page 8)
- One in four (24 per cent) of the workforce went to work despite thinking they were too ill to do so in January, according to a YouGov poll. (page 9)
- Women hold just 11 per cent of FTSE 100 directorships and only 19.3 per cent of the positions in Parliament. (page 12)
- Women are paid on average 23 per cent less per hour than men. (page 13)
- Around 1.3 million people over state pension age are currently in employment. (page 15)
- According to research by IRS Employment Review, homeworking is offered by 65 per cent of employers surveyed, compared to 36 per cent in 2004. Job-sharing has risen from being offered by 48% of employers in 2004, to 61%, while flexi-time has increased from 38% to 51%. (page 20)
- A survey of 174 women undertaken by Talking Talent revealed that 77% felt their career progression had been adversely affected by having children. (page 21)
- A report from the Equality and Human Rights Commission found that 45 per cent of men fail to take two weeks’ paternity leave after the birth of their child. (page 22)
- In the 1950s there were about seven people of working age for every pensioner; this will fall to less than three by 2031. (page 26)
- Going to university pays dividends in later life through higher salaries, better health and less vulnerability to unemployment, OECD analysis shows. (page 34)
- A new report from the British Youth Council (BYC) and NCB has found that 80% of young people found formal careers advice services from schools, colleges and universities to be a ‘little bit’ or ‘not at all helpful’. (page 39)
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Table of Contents
Chapter One: Employment Trends
Recession creates new employment landscape, Falling job satisfaction and standard of living, Is the world of work working?, Career fulfilment peaks at 50, says survey, Work-related stress, Brits long to be their own boss, New ‘fit note’ unveiled, One in four went to work when too ill in January, Awareness of employment rights on the rise, The emotional costs of redundancy, Fewer women in positions of power and influence, Equality Bill will build a fairer and stronger Britain, Forced retirement.
Chapter Two: Flexible Working
Employers and work-life balance, Flexible working: options, Other flexible working options, Is it work? Is it play?, Flexible working options are on the increase, Doom and gloom force one in three Brits to take gap year, Women believe careers damaged by having children, Fathers struggling to balance work and family, Maternity leave rights ‘could scare businesses’, New rights for families, What women want, Working Better project: an equal future.
Chapter Three: Young People’s Work
Young workers, Skills for work if you’re under 19, Too much too young, Poll shows parents in favour of vocational courses, Young people out of employment and education, Further education important in getting a job, Invest in education to beat recession, boost earnings, Cold comfort for class of ‘09, A daily grind: being young and unemployed, Record number of apprenticeships, New report finds careers advice failing young people.
Key Facts
Glossary
Index
Additional Resources
Acknowledgements
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The Study Guide for: Work and Employment - Volume 183
Each book in the Issues series has a study guide. These four-page guides provide a variety of discussion points and other activities to suit a wide range of ability levels and interests.
Publisher: Independence Educational Publishers
Price: £1.95
ISBN: 978 1 86168 534 6