News & Press

Good quality, accurate, reliable data is a critical starting point in the development of evidence-based public policy. Daniel Muir takes an in-depth look into the recent issues with accurate data collection, possible alternatives, and future challenges in relation to the changing labour market.

Today’s figures suggest that the labour market is continuing to cool but isn’t crashing. Employment remains steady, unemployment is flat and there are still nearly a million vacancies in the economy.

IES, Learning and Work Institute and Royal Society for Public Health are collaborating as research partners on the Commission for Healthier Working Lives, supported by the Health Foundation, which aims to identify and address the reasons for the current decline in working-age health in the UK. This blog introduces the new collaboration, and sets out its plans and intentions.

Following the party political conferences, Becci Newton looks at the current participation of 16 to 18 year olds in education and training, the worrying rise in levels of non-participation, and the main parties' policy intentions on this. She covers recent policy history, reasons for success, or lack of it, and recommendations to achieve improvements.

Rates of economic inactivity due to long-term health conditions have increased rapidly in recent years. Dan Muir looks at the impact of this on the economy, and explores a number of potential options for addressing the issue, as well as the benefits of doing so.

In summary, our view is that there is a lot to welcome in the new plan, with around £2.6 billion of investment in employment and related support over the next five years, particularly focused on supporting the long-term unemployed and people with significant health conditions.

Following her recent presentation on the Future of Coaching, Alison Carter reflects on the rapid rise in workplace coaching, and how employers can ensure it is both effective and appropriate to their specific workplace and employees.

Today’s announcement of significant investment in employment support is welcome news, but it risks being drowned out by divisive rhetoric around ‘coasters’ who want to ‘take taxpayers for a ride’.