Institute for the Future of Work

Taking work, or changing work? Understanding how technology adoption is reshaping work in the UK - IFOW How are UK workers actually experiencing technological change?

Published as part of our Pissarides Review, this report delves into how workers are experiencing technological transformation, offering insights for balancing innovation with human-centred approaches.

"Once emotional expressions become a form of data to be measured and ranked, people may begin to perform emotions in strategic ways."
Read our new blog post on 'emotional AI' by IFOW research fellow, Emine Akar:
www.ifow.org/news-article...

Firm-level adoption of AI and automation technologies: Case Studies Report - IFOW What is happening on the ground in UK firms as they adopt AI and automation technologies?

Our firm-level work not only surveyed 1000 UK firms about tech adoption, but also did 12 in-depth case studies of AI and automation, with hundreds of hours of interviews with workers about the impact of these tools on the quality of their work, and on their wellbeing.

In the system-level workstream of our Pissarides Review, we produced the Disruption Index. A powerful tool for policymakers, this - for the first time - mapped progress of technological transformation and 'regional innovation readiness' across England: www.ifow.org/publications...

Adoption of AI in UK firms - and the consequences for jobs - IFOW Based on a survey of 1000 UK firms, this Briefing explores the extent of AI adoption and policy implications to sustain jobs and good work.

Today - as part of our look back at reports from our Pissarides Review, funded by the Nuffield Foundation - we're highlighting work from our firm-level research. We surveyed 1000 UK firms about tech adoption, and found how vital HR processes are to sustaining good work:

'Emotional AI' and the wider problem of #Oasis ticket prices... our August newsletter is out now!
www.ifow.org/news-articles/august-newsletter

Does technology use impact UK workers’ quality of life? - IFOW A pioneering new study based on a survey of nearly 5000 UK employees, shows how technologies impact workers' quality of life.

This provided the research foundation for the survey of 5000 UK employees we undertook to understand how exposure to workplace technologies interacts with measures of quality of life and wellbeing: www.ifow.org/publications...

What do we know about automation at work and workers’ wellbeing? - IFOW Automation technologies are reshaping work. This paper reviews the literature on the impact of this on subjective worker wellbeing.

Continuing our daily share of reports from our Pissarides Review, today we're highlighting one of the detailed literature reviews we undertook to support this research - this one focusing on existing knowledge around workplace #automation and #wellbeing:
www.ifow.org/publications...

Over the next week we're highlighting reports from our Pissarides Review, funded by @nuffieldfoundation.org, that were released through this major, multi-year project.
First up, a brand-new #skills clustering analysis that offers new insights into skills demands: www.ifow.org/publications...

The Amazonian Era: The gigification of work - IFOW We are living through a new transformation of work. We are living in an Amazonian Era

This links very well to the report we published on the 'Amazonian Era', revealing how the practices and business models that emerged within the gig economy are being packaged up and made available for download to the furthest corners of our workplaces: www.ifow.org/publications...

Not Just a Matter of Oasis Tickets: Dynamic Pricing & Algorithms in the Workplace We tackle poverty and inequality in London

Dynamic pricing isn't just about #Oasis... IFOW Co-Director, Dr @abbygkgilbert.bsky.social has written superb piece for @trustforlondon.bsky.social on greater role algorithms are playing in workplaces - allocating hours, monitoring performance and setting pay.

trustforlondon.org.uk/news/not-jus...

Workplace tech monitoring is increasingly focusing on behaviour and activities, building digital profiles that, combined with algorithmic management systems, can lead to bias, as well as impacting wellbeing. Re-flagging this great report from @digigirlz.bsky.social:
www.ifow.org/publications...

Is AI killing graduate jobs? Factors including economic uncertainty and offshoring may be more responsible for a decline in entry-level roles

Great to have our Associate Director, Oliver Nash, quoted in @financialtimes.com today, and in print tomorrow. Closing para from him absolutely right - that sober, cautious analysis is so much needed, as without it we risk stoking the very problem we're looking to solve.

www.ft.com/content/99b6...

Good Work Monitor Spotlight - Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly - IFOW Using our Good Work Monitor to shine a spotlight on the challenges and opportunities of promoting more good work in Cornwall

We are able to produce focused Spotlights - like this one for #Cornwall - to help regions or combined authorities get into more detail on what this good work data means locally. Get in touch if you'd like to explore us doing this for your area.
www.ifow.org/publications...

Last week we launched our Good Work Monitor for 2025, tracking trends in #productivity and six dimensions of #goodwork across all 203 local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales, giving policymakers a lens through which to see progress on the Industrial Strategy: www.ifow.org/resources/th...

Work from our Pissarides Review looks across system, firm and individual levels at the impacts of AI and automation on work and wellbeing. We have to centre human experience if these powerful tools are going to lead to a better society. Read the report here: pissaridesreview.ifow.org/finalreport

Was great to have one of our Trustees, @sanakb.bsky.social on BBC Five Live yesterday with Naga Munchetty discussing the government's MOI with #OpenAI.
Getting tech adoption 'right' - especially in the context of the work of government - is crucial, and must be centred on national priorities.

Firm-level adoption of AI and automation technologies: Case Studies Report - IFOW What is happening on the ground in UK firms as they adopt AI and automation technologies?

Further case studies that were explored in the firm-level work of the Review were published in this working paper here. In short: "when one worker begins using a new technology, the impacts on adjacent workers can be profound – but is not always considered." www.ifow.org/publications...

Expectation vs reality: A case study of the impact of the da Vinci surgical robot on healthcare professionals’ work experiences In recent years, considerable academic attention has been devoted to the use of new technology in the healthcare sector. However, there is limited emp…

Superb paper by Hong Yu Liu and Prof James Hayton springing from work in the Pissarides Review, funded by @nuffieldfoundation.org. This detailed case-study of robotics adoption explores the deep relational impacts of tech adoption:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

With funding from @nuffieldfoundation.org, we ran the 3-year Pissarides Review into the Future of #Work and #Wellbeing. This project generated a hugely rich series of outputs, which we're keen to highlight.

📌 From our workstream on workers' experience of workplace tech: www.ifow.org/publications...

YouTube video by Institute for the Future of Work Good Work Monitor 2025 - Launch Webinar with Anna Thomas MBE, Tera Allas CBE and Dr Harry Pitts

If you missed the launch of our Good Work Monitor on Tuesday, you can watch the webinar - featuring @teraallas.bsky.social and @fhpitts.bsky.social - here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddTk...

Motivating futures - helping young people from low-income backgrounds to thrive in a changing world of work - IFOW How can intrinsic and internalised motivation help young people from low-income backgrounds access better jobs?

Last week we launched the Stage 1 report of our Motivating Futures project, where we have partnered with the EY Foundation to better understand how young people from low-income backgrounds can - through a focus on #motivation - could access better jobs. Read it here:
www.ifow.org/publications...

What role does management play in linking good work, well-being & productivity?

New from IFOW, by ESCoE Advisory Board member Tera Allas.⬇️

Read ESCoE work on management practices: tinyurl.com/ysv6dzd5

@pbe.co.uk @ifow.org @productivity.bsky.social

"All of this points to a need for a deeper, more nuanced understanding of the links between productivity and good work, and the role of specific management practices in them."

Read @teraallas.bsky.social's excellent blog for @ifow.org below.

Good work, wellbeing, and productivity: what is the role of management? - IFOW How do management practices impact good work and productivity levels across the UK?

We also have an expert blog piece by @teraallas.bsky.social from @productivity.bsky.social and senior advisor to McKinsey & Company on the vital role that better management has to play in improving good work and wellbeing in firms and businesses across the country: www.ifow.org/news-article...

Join us at midday today for our launch webinar with IFOW Founding Director, Anna Thomas MBE in conversation with Prof @teraallas.bsky.social CBE and Dr @fhpitts.bsky.social about the power of this dataset for understanding how to better 'Get Britain Working': www.ifow.org/event/gettin...

This morning sees the 2025 release of our Good Work Monitor, tracking #productivity and six dimensions of #goodwork across all 203 local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales - a unique lens through which to see the recently-released Industrial Strategy.
www.ifow.org/publications...

Getting Britain Working? Launching our Good Work Monitor 2025 Our expert panel discuss how IFOW's Good Work Monitor offers a unique lens through which to examine the new Industrial Strategy

Reminder that tomorrow we're launching our Good Work Monitor - a unique tool that tracks trends in productivity and 6 dimensions of good work across all 203 LAs in England, Scotland and Wales. Midday webinar with @fhpitts.bsky.social and @teraallas.bsky.social: www.eventbrite.com/e/getting-br...

Getting Britain Working? Launching our Good Work Monitor 2025 - IFOW Our expert panel discuss how IFOW's Good Work Monitor offers a unique lens through which to examine the new Industrial Strategy

On Tuesday we're launching our Good Work Monitor - a unique tool that tracks productivity and six dimensions of good work across all 203 local authorities in England, Wales and Scotland. Join us for a launch webinar, with @teraallas.bsky.social and @fhpitts.bsky.social
www.ifow.org/event/gettin...

Striking at the heart of the issues that the Industrial Strategy is trying to address, this latest GWM release paints a worrying picture: existing inequalities in access to good work risk being further entrenched unless AI and automation are deployed in ways that forefront human flourishing.