Millions of workers in the U.K. facing job insecurity are grappling with the fear of job loss and the potential impact of unforeseen expenses, according to an extensive analysis by the Work Foundation at Lancaster University.
Surveying 3,000 workers in precarious employment and 1,000 U.K. managers, the research unveiled that about 30% of insecure workers anticipate losing their jobs in the next year. Nearly half (49%) indicated they couldn’t afford an unexpected bill of £300 within the next seven days.
Insecure jobs
Approximately 6.2 million U.K. workers, nearly 1 in 5, are now in “insecure jobs,” characterized by low pay, temporary or part-time roles, contractual instability, and limited workers’ rights. Such roles are prevalent in sectors like hospitality, agriculture, and transport. The analysis highlights that women, young people, ethnic minorities, and disabled workers are disproportionately represented in insecure employment.
Faced with unpredictable work schedules amid a cost-of-living crisis, more than a third (34%) of workers reported at least one shift being canceled with less than two days’ notice in the past month. Alarmingly, half of the surveyed workers (51%) indicated that their mental well-being is affected by sudden changes to their work, schedule, or weekly hours.
The research underscores a collective desire for more autonomy, with 57% of insecure workers expressing a need for more predictable hours. However, 21% of respondents who discussed the matter with their managers reported unsuccessful resolutions. Managers, often unable to dictate working hours, face similar challenges, with 46% noting that others determine their teams’ hours.
Challenging circumstances
Interestingly, the analysis reveals that managers in insecure work settings encounter comparable challenges, with half expressing a desire for more predictable hours, and 8% expecting job loss in the next 12 months.
While legislative strides have been made, such as Theresa May’s 2018 Good Work Plan and Yasmin Qureshi’s Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act, which allows employees to request flexible working arrangements from day one, challenges persist. Managers, comprising a crucial link, expressed a willingness to provide flexible working arrangements for caregiving responsibilities (74%), personal well-being (73%), or disability or health reasons (77%).
Virginia Crosbie’s recent bill to ensure fair tip allocation in the hospitality industry also received Royal Assent this year. However, the findings highlight ongoing issues, signaling the need for continued efforts to address the complexities of insecure work in the U.K.
Changing the picture
The report puts forth various policy recommendations, emphasizing the need for improved management practices across sectors. Key suggestions include:
- Supporting Management Development:
Advocate for the enhancement of management capabilities to offer secure and predictable working arrangements. This is particularly important for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) that may lack internal resources for such initiatives.
- Enhancing Managerial Training Programs:
Strengthen existing programs, like the apprenticeship scheme and Help to Grow: Management, ensuring they emphasize inclusive practices within supervisor and manager training.
- Introducing Labor Regulations:
Propose new employment laws and regulations aimed at reinforcing labor rights and contractual security for all workers, fostering a more secure and stable work environment.
- Incorporating Management Skills in Regional Programs:
Integrate management capability development into local and regional skills programs, with a particular focus on sectors where insecure work is prevalent. This approach aims to address the unique challenges posed by precarious employment.
These recommendations collectively aim to create a supportive framework for management practices, focusing on the enhancement of working conditions and the well-being of employees, especially in sectors marked by insecure work.
“This new analysis brings into focus the precarity facing millions of U.K. workers in insecure jobs as we head towards winter, with many living in fear of losing their job and half unable to meet unexpected costs such as food and energy bills,” the authors conclude.
“Workers in more secure employment are better able to weather economic turbulence, but this isn’t the case for the millions of workers in this country trapped in severely insecure work.”
