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Employment subsidies are important active labour market policy (ALMP) tools, suited to a variety of labour market challenges. This paper engages with recent ALMP categorisation debates by appraising Cronert's (2019) recent typology of employment subsidies. It uses empirical material to assess the typology's explanatory power and produce insights to inform further typological development. The illustrative case of the British ' Wage Incentive' (2012-2014) is used to assess the typology's analytical purchase. Cronert's typology helpfully identifies key distinctions in the distributional profiles of employment subsidies, but further understanding of the category is impeded by the practice of defining them as demand-side interventions. The paper argues for a reappraisal of their supply-side characteristics, maintaining that the (potential) worker should be included in the analysis, and that employment subsidies' relationship with training and job creation should be acknowledged. It proposes a redefinition of employment subsidies reflecting their real-world use, and suggests a framework for further exploring varieties of employment subsidy design from the perspective of beneficiaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents and discusses the findings of a small-scale longitudinal survey of trainees who embarked on one 14-month Step Up to Social Work (SUSW) qualifying programme in January 2020, just prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic's restrictions in the United Kingdom (UK). It explores their responses to changes made to their placements during their training and the impact on their subsequent employment. Three surveys were administered to this cohort (n = 30; 25 of whom agreed to participate): just before trainees completed their training in May 2021 (n = 23), halfway through their Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) in January 2022 (n = 19) and at the end of this in September 2022 (n = 15). Respondents felt at least adequately prepared for social work, despite having missed much direct work with children and families during placements. Online learning and consultations through lectures and supervision were acceptable modifications but face-to-face interactions and colleagues' guidance were missed in placements and initial employment. The implications of this are discussed for this specific route to qualification and initial employment as social workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on oral histories of first-generation migrant women, this paper explores Chinese women's role in financing migrant households, mothering children and promoting the well-being of the British Chinese community after 1945. It argues that, with better educational attainment and wider participation in professional occupations Chinese migrant women played an increasingly essential yet unrecognised role in private and public lives. This paper expands knowledge of Chinese women's experiences in contemporary international migration and confirms the necessity of understanding migration through the lens of gender to reveal evolving gendered family roles within migrant households and migrant women's manifold but unrecognised merits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of the study was to explore and understand the organizational culture of a workplace in terms of support and well‐being for staff experiencing perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms at work. Design: It is widely acknowledged that perimenopause and menopause symptoms are experienced by a large percentage of the female workforce. There is a lack of research into how nurses are supported through menopause (Cronin et al. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 42, 2021, 541–548). The perimenopause and menopause transition can be a challenging time where many may require symptom management and support (RCN, The Menopause and Work: Guidance for RCN Representatives, 2020). This paper presents a case study research (CSR) approach to examine one healthcare organization. Methods: CSR design was used: A survey distributed to all staff employed, a review of the available documentation on menopause and interviews with managers from different levels of the organization. The COREQ consolidated criteria was used for reporting the qualitative research reported this study. Results: The case study generated both quantitative and qualitative data using surveys, interviews and documentation. Data from the organization (n = 6905) showed a majority female workforce of 81.9% with 40.6% aged between 41 and 55 years old, meaning a third of the organization working through perimenopause and menopause. Survey responses (n = 167) collected biographical and psychometric data on the prevalence of perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms. Seven managers were interviewed highlighting two themes: Access to support and culture of menopause and 13 documents from the organization on menopause were analysed for content. The study design permitted an iterative approach to data collection and providing an in‐depth understanding of the needs and support for those experiencing perimenopause and menopause. The findings help healthcare organizations to understand their workforce and take in to account the larger numbers of female employees particularly nurses with the need to provide person‐centred support mechanisms and an organizational approach for all employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to social protection in old age is crucial and yet contingent upon negotiations between the social structures of the welfare states and the personal networks within which individuals are embedded. International migration, changing family dynamics, and the transformation of care and other welfare policies in the global North make it challenging for older migrants to negotiate social protection. Drawing on 45 semi-structured interviews with first-generation older Turkish migrants in London and 13 semi-structured interviews with professional service providers for the community, the paper aims to investigate the assemblages of formal and informal social protection in the lives of older migrants. Findings indicate the complexity in accessing informal social protection and the navigation of formal care support in the UK for first generation older Turkish migrants and the contingency of access to formal care services on informal support networks for participants. It has been demonstrated that built infrastructure and policies aimed at older adults have great influence on assemblages of care, highlighting the need for more age-friendly and integrated policies to facilitate access to social protection for diverse groups of older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The risk of Type 2 Diabetes is 10 times higher after a pregnancy with Gestational Diabetes. Physical activity can independently reduce this risk, yet engagement with physical activity remains low after Gestational Diabetes. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the barriers and facilitators to the uptake of physical activity after Gestational Diabetes in the United Kingdom, using a socio‐ecological approach. Methods: The paper was written following the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research. Patient and Public Involvement contributed to the study's conceptualisation and design. Participants were recruited through an audit of Gestational Diabetes cases at a local Teaching Hospital in 2020. Twelve participants took part in semi‐structured one‐to‐one interviews. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to generate themes in iterative rounds of refinement. The final themes were then organised using the socio‐ecological model. Results: Participants were all over 31 years old, predominantly self‐identified as White British and were all in employment but were evenly spread across UK‐based deprivation deciles. Ten themes were generated and organised according to the four levels of the socio‐ecological model: intrapersonal (beliefs about activity, recovering from birth), social (health care professionals, family and partner, role as a mother), organisational (access and cost, environment, childcare and work) and community (connecting women with recent Gestational Diabetes). Conclusions: Many of the amenable barriers and facilitators to physical activity were beyond the intrapersonal level, based on higher levels of the socio‐ecological model (social, organisational and community). Multi‐level interventions are needed to effectively address all barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The United Kingdom (UK) has a significant and rising population of refugees and asylum seekers, including many who have previously worked as healthcare professionals. Evidence shows they have struggled to join and successfully work in the UK National Health Service (NHS) despite initiatives designed to improve their inclusion. This paper presents a narrative review based on research surrounding this population to describe the barriers that have impeded their integration and possible ways to overcome them. Methods: We conducted a literature review to obtain peer-reviewed primary research from key databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, EMBASE). The collected sources were individually reviewed against predetermined questions to construct a cohesive narrative. Results: 46 studies were retrieved, of which 13 satisfied the inclusion criteria. The vast majority of literature focussed on doctors with minimal research on other healthcare workers. Study review identified numerous barriers impeding the integration of refugee and asylum seeker healthcare professionals (RASHPs) into the workforce that are unique from other international medical graduates seeking employment in the UK. These include experiences of trauma, additional legal hurdles and restrictions on their right to work, significant gaps in work experience, and financial difficulties. Several work experience and/or training programs have been created to help RASHPs obtain substantive employment, the most successful of which have involved a multifaceted approach and an income for participants. Conclusions: Continual work towards improving the integration of RASHPs into the UK NHS is mutually beneficial. Existing research is significantly limited in quantity, but it provides a direction for future programs and support systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Social Research & Behavioral Sciences / Sosyal Araştırmalar ve Davranış Bilimleri Dergisi is the property of Journal of Social Research & Behavioral Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper examines the potential earnings premium associated with a doctoral degree (PhDs, ISCED9) over postgraduate degrees (PGs, or Masters, ISCED7) in the UK. We assess this premium using a decade-worth of UK Labour Force Survey data (2011–2020). To explore the possible endogenous choice of post-graduate tracks, this paper deploys linear regression, (ordinary least squares, OLS), propensity score matching (PSM), and inverse probability weighting (IPWRA) to estimate the pay premium under varying identifying assumptions. The estimates show a positive return in terms of gross hourly pays in all models, along with a relevant role of managerial positions and degree of specialisation in employment position. Therefore, although a PhD is arguably mostly driven by taste for scientific pursuit, a PhD has on average also an economic pay-off. However, much of it depends on one's capacity to acquire leadership positions – the most relevant factor disentangling those fulfilling or not their potential in terms of wages. We also provide a cost–benefit analysis over a life course showing that such a premium is overall modest, but subject to positive spikes for those in Science & Technology (STEM disciplines), getting managerial positions, and for women. Our findings suggest investigating further those personal and organisational factors that are conducive of unleashing highly educated potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the historical policy pathways that have led to the constellation of policies that both reflect and shape the current gender order can reveal reasons for the persistence of gender inequality in paid work and unpaid family care. Bringing together existing research and policy critique with Carol Bacchi's framework of policy as 'gendering practices', this paper focuses on the role of policy as a process that constructs and upholds an unequal gender order. The discussion traces how UK social policies have since the establishment of the post-war welfare state articulated and positioned gendered possibilities for combining paid work and childrearing, shaping gendered and classed work-family life courses. The analysis illustrates that British social policy has not been consistently committed to a more equal gender regime but instead maintained a heteronormative family ideal and thus, despite various policy changes, the gendering of 'the worker' and 'the parent' as conceptualised in UK policy has persisted over the last several decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current evidence suggests understaffing is related to poor quality and missed care in a global context, but this relationship is complex. There is also a research gap for quality in mental health care in the United Kingdom that includes a wider set of patient outcomes. This paper aims to investigate RMN's perception of quality of care on their last shift, their self‐reported reasons for compromised care and potential impact on patient outcomes. A mixed methods approach, we used descriptive statistics to create a framework within which to qualitatively analyse data from the 2017 Royal College of Nursing (RCN) employment survey to consider the complex relationship between understaffing and care quality. We established three themes: 'Understaffing', 'Professional Code Expectations and Moral Distress' and 'Management'. In line with the current evidence; lack of resources and understaffing were consistently present throughout. Nurses also felt pressure from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) code of conduct which in turn instilled shame and fear for their registration when they were unable to achieve the standards expected. This was further exacerbated by poor management and supervision; leading nurses to reflect on poor outcomes for patients which compromised not only legal rights but safety of patients and staff alike. We conclude that focusing on staffing numbers alone is unlikely to improve care quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many children with developmental language disorder (DLD) have emotion recognition and regulation difficulties, but there are currently no known interventions enhancing emotional awareness in this population. This study explores the impact of parents' perspectives regarding children with DLD emotional understanding through a parent-led online emotion recognition (ER) intervention. Ten parents of children with DLD aged 6–11 participated in the study. A nonconcurrent multiple baseline design was employed, allowing for a rigorous analysis of changes in parental beliefs over time. Weekly data were collected through the Parents' Beliefs About Children's Emotions Questionnaire. Interviews were also conducted to gain deeper insights into parents' perceptions regarding the ER skills of their children. Results indicated that parents' beliefs about the need for guiding and supporting their child's ER skills increased over the intervention. Interviews also supported this, and three main themes were generated. The intervention program increased parents' awareness of (a) the importance of ER for children with DLD, (b) emotion-focused communication and engagement with their child, and (c) the integration of emotions into daily life. This study is the first known study that explores parents' beliefs about children with DLD ER skills, highlighting the importance of supporting parents through accessible interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although reduced working time and furlough policy initiatives are widely regarded as important for economic and business reasons, little is known about their impacts on workers' mental health at the onset of COVID-19 pandemic. Using data from the UK Household Longitudinal Panel Study data from 2018 to February 2020 and April 2020 and change score analysis, this study aims to compare mental health changes between those who worked reduced hours, were furloughed and left/lost paid work. The results suggest that at the onset of COVID-19 reduced working time and furlough can protect workers' mental health, but only for men not for women. The gender differences remain significant even after controlling for housework and childcare responsibilities at the onset of COVID-19. These results highlight the importance of distributing paid work more equitably and formulating gender-sensitive labour market policies in protection of workers' mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite predominantly lower social class origins, the second generation of established immigrant groups in the UK are now attaining high levels of education. However, they continue to experience poorer labour market outcomes than the majority population. These worse outcomes are often attributed in part to their disadvantaged origins, which do not, by contrast, appear to constrain their educational success. This paper engages with this paradox. We discuss potential mechanisms for second‐generation educational success and how far we might expect these to be replicated in labour market outcomes. We substantiate our discussion with new empirical analysis. Drawing on a unique longitudinal study of England and Wales spanning 40 years and encompassing one per cent of the population, we present evidence on the educational and labour market outcomes of the second generation of four groups of immigrants and the white British majority, controlling for multiple measures of social origins. We demonstrate that second‐generation men and women's educational advantage is only partially reflected in the labour market. We reflect on the implications of our findings for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the UK, tens of millions of working days are lost due to work‐related ill health every year, costing billions of pounds. The role of Occupational Health (OH) services is vital in helping workers to maintain employment when they encounter injury or illness. OH providers traditionally rely on a clinical workforce to deliver these services, particularly doctors and nurses with OH qualifications. However, the increasing demand for OH services is unlikely to be met in the future using this traditional model, due to the declining number of OH‐trained doctors and nurses in the UK. Multi‐disciplinary models of OH delivery, including a more varied range of healthcare and non‐healthcare professionals, could provide a way to meet this new demand for OH services. There is a need to identify collaborative models of OH service delivery and review their effectiveness on return‐to work outcomes. There is an existing pool of systematic review evidence evaluating workplace based, multi‐disciplinary OH interventions, but it is difficult to identify which aspects of the content and/or delivery of these interventions may be associated with improved work‐related outcomes. Objectives: The aim of this evidence and gap map (EGM) was to provide an overview of the systematic review evidence that evaluates the effectiveness and cost‐effectiveness of multi‐disciplinary OH interventions intending to improve work‐related outcomes. Search Methods: In June 2021 we searched a selection of bibliographic databases and other academic literature resources covering a range of relevant disciplines, including health care and business studies, to identify systematic review evidence from a variety of sectors of employment. We also searched Google Search and a selection of topically relevant websites and consulted with stakeholders to identify reports already known to them. Searches were updated in February 2023. Selection Criteria: Systematic reviews needed to be about adults (16 years or over) in employment, who have had absence from work for any medical reason. Interventions needed to be multi‐disciplinary (including professionals from different backgrounds in clinical and non‐clinical professions) and designed to support employees and employers to manage health conditions in the workplace and/or to help employees with health conditions retain and/or return to work following medical absence. Effectiveness needed to be measured in terms of return to work, work retention or measures of absence, or economic evaluation outcomes. These criteria were applied to the title and abstract and full text of each systematic review independently by two reviewers, with disagreements resolved through discussion. We awarded each systematic review a rating of 'High', 'Medium' or 'Low' relevance to indicate the extent to which the populations, interventions and their contexts synthesised within the review were consistent with our research question. We also recorded the number of primary studies included within each of the 'High' and 'Medium' reviews that were relevant to research question using the same screening process applied at review level. Data Collection and Analysis: Summary data for each eligible review was extracted. The quality of the systematic reviews, rated as 'High' or 'Medium' relevance following full text screening, was appraised using the AMSTAR‐2 quality appraisal tool. All data were extracted by one reviewer and checked by a second, with disagreements being settled through discussion. Summary data for all eligible systematic reviews were tabulated and described narratively. The data extracted from reviews of 'High' and 'Medium' relevance was imported into EPPI‐Mapper software to create an EGM. Stakeholder Involvement: We worked alongside commissioners and policy makers from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), OH personnel, and people with lived experience of accessing OH services themselves and/or supporting employees to access OH services. Individuals contributed to decision making at all stages of the project. This ensured our EGM reflects the needs of individuals who will use it. Main Results: We identified 98 systematic reviews that contained relevant interventions, which involved a variety of professionals and workplaces, and which measured effectiveness in terms of return to work (RTW). Of these, we focused on the 30 reviews where the population and intervention characteristics within the systematic reviews were considered to be of high or medium relevance to our research questions. The 30 reviews were of varying quality, split evenly between High/Moderate quality and Low/Critically‐Low quality ratings. We did not identify any relevant systematic review evidence on any other work‐related outcome of interest. Interventions were heterogenous, both within and across included systematic reviews. The EGM is structured according to the health condition experienced by participants, and the effectiveness of the interventions being evaluated, as reported within the included systematic reviews. It is possible to view (i) the quality and quantity of systematic review evidence for a given health condition, (ii) how review authors assessed the effectiveness or cost‐effectiveness of the interventions evaluated. The EGM also details the primary studies relevant to our research aim included within each review. Authors' Conclusions: This EGM map highlights the array of systematic review evidence that exists in relation to the effectiveness or cost‐effectiveness of multi‐disciplinary, workplace‐based OH interventions in supporting RTW. This evidence will allow policy makers and commissioners of services to determine which OH interventions may be most useful for supporting different population groups in different contexts. OH professionals may find the content of the EGM useful in identifying systematic review evidence to support their practice. The EGM also identifies where systematic review evidence in this area is lacking, or where existing evidence is of poor quality. These may represent areas where it may be particularly useful to conduct further systematic reviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyses the role of generalized trust and control in households' employment of domestic help. Applying a basic trust game with uncertainty, we argue that households differ in their estimate of the proportion of opportunistic domestic workers, variation which we ascribe to generalized trust. Households with low trust should estimate a lower proportion of non-opportunistic individuals, making them less willing to accept a domestic worker. Control, through direct supervision of the domestic worker, is assumed to serve as a substitute for trust and is expected to increase acceptance. We also consider the role of income, which we expect to alter the relation between the potential losses and gains associated with outsourcing. To test our hypotheses, we use a factorial survey conducted in 2020 in Germany and the UK (N = 1877) which enables us to explore the robustness of the effects across countries. Experimental results show that individuals are more accepting of domestic outsourcing if they have higher trust, higher income, and if control of the worker is easily possible. Interaction effects reveal that the positive effect of higher trust and higher income is only relevant in low control situations. This suggest that households with higher trust and income have an advantage when it comes to fully utilizing the benefits of domestic help since costly control is not required. Consequently, the results substantially contribute to existing literature on explaining causes of social inequality in service use beyond financial restrictions and shed light on the complex interplay of trust and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although previous research suggests that a large proportion of young adults experience ageism, information is scarce regarding exactly how often they encounter different forms of age-based discrimination. To address this lacuna, we recruited young adults from the U.K. to complete four weekly surveys in which they reported the number of days during the preceding week on which they experienced various forms of ageism. More than three-quarters of our respondents experienced some form of ageism at least once during the reporting period, and more than one-quarter of respondents experienced ageism (on average) at least once per week during the reporting period. The most oft-encountered forms of ageism encountered by young adults involved being shown a lack of respect/being patronized and having other people make assumptions about their cognitive or social characteristics. Most commonly, the perpetrators of ageism were middle-aged and later middle-aged persons (rather than older people) encountered in the course of employment. The number of days on which young adults experienced ageism was inversely correlated with the degree to which they believed middle-aged and later-middle aged adults held positive stereotypes of young adults, and positively predicted the desire to avoid interaction with middle-aged, late middle-aged, and older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of the 'residualisation' of social housing, in terms of residents' income, employment status and class relative to the rest of the population, is one of the best known trends of the housing system in the UK and in many other nations over the past half century. The idea of residualisation and the presumption of its inevitability have become widely accepted, and formed a negative frame for social housing policy. However Pearce and Vine (2014) have shown that in terms of income, the residualisation of social housing in England stopped in 1991. This paper confirms and extends that work using multiple published data sources. These show consistent evidence of convergence over the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s between social tenants and the English national averages in terms of not only income but also employment status and class. Potential explanations, including the restructuring of housing markets, demographic change, and changing labour markets, are briefly explored. Most recently, there some signs that deresidualisation itself may have stopped. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing research has extensively documented that those living in the most deprived neighbourhoods and individuals from some ethnic minority groups have low rates of labour market participation in the United Kingdom. This paper brings together these two established areas of research to ask whether ethnic minority groups have better employment participation when living in more deprived neighbourhoods. We hypothesise that this could be due to different socialisation processes enabling ethnic minorities to secure employment more easily in deprived neighbourhoods as well as in neighbourhoods where there is greater ethnic density. Data from the United Kingdom Household Longitudinal Study in England are linked to the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2014 and the 2011 Census to model unemployment and economic inactivity between 2009 and 2019 separately for women and men. The results show that some ethnic minority groups face disadvantage in the labour market, especially Pakistani and Bangladeshi women. There is little support to suggest that these penalties are lessened in more deprived neighbourhoods or in more ethnically dense neighbourhoods. There is some suggestion that groups who do not face ethnic penalties compared with the White British group have lower rates of unemployment and economic inactivity in more deprived neighbourhoods. We suggest policies aimed at improving labour market outcomes for disadvantaged ethnic minorities should target them wherever they live. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: A hinderance to businesses across the UK, employment fraud and absenteeism are phenomenons that need to be addressed. Fraud is a topic that remains largely unexplored for the HR profession, and covert surveillance emerges as a brilliant and effective solution to tackle the challenges that hundreds of businesses face when trying to clamp down on employment fraud. Design/methodology/approach: This study provides insight for HR professionals as to how employee surveillance can be harnessed safely to help tackle employment fraud and absenteeism, whilst unlocking a productive and healthy environment. Findings: Public sector organisations face a particularly significant challenge when grappling with absenteeism, with absence rates nearly double that of the private sector. A key focal point of this research revolves around the startling fact that absence rates in the public sector are alarmingly high. Still, robust investigations into these matters are seldom conducted, leaving the door wide open for fraudulent activities to persist. Covert surveillance offers a proactive approach to identify and address the root causes of almost endemic absenteeism, ensuring a healthier and more efficient workplace. Originality/value: By embracing the power of covert surveillance, businesses not only protect their legitimate interests but also contribute to a workplace environment that thrives on transparency, honesty and loyalty. This study effectively outlines how HR professionals can effectively deploy covert surveillance to ensure they are staying within the guidelines of the law, whilst still clamping down on bad actors and protecting their bottom line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Economía Institucional is the property of Universidad Externado de Colombia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The financialization of everyday life has received considerable attention since the 2008 global financial crisis. Financialization is thought to have created active financial subjects through the ability to participate in mainstream financial services. While the lived experience of these mainstream financial subjects has been the subject of close scrutiny, the experiences of financial subjects at the financial fringe have been rarely considered. In the UK, for example, the introduction of High-Cost, Short-Term Credit [HCSTC] or payday loan regulation was designed to protect vulnerable people from accessing unaffordable credit. Exploring the impact of HCSTC regulation is important due to the dramatic decline of the high-cost credit market which helped meet essential needs in an era of austerity. As such, the paper examines the impact of the HCSTC regulation on sixty-four financially marginalized individuals in the UK that are unable to access payday loans. First, we identify the range of socioeconomic strategies that individuals employ to manage their finances to create a typology of financial subjectivity at the financial fringe. Second, we demonstrate how the temporal and precarious nature of financial inclusion at the financial fringe adds nuance to existing debates of the everyday lived experience of financialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policy responses to population ageing have focused on lengthening working lives, overlooking inequalities in older adults' participation in unpaid activities. This paper examines participation in paid and unpaid activities between the ages of 55 and 70 to answer two questions: how do people navigate pathways of paid work, informal care, volunteering, civic participation and housework in mid to later life?; and how do these pathways relate to gender, socio-economic and health inequalities? Two-staged latent class analysis was used to identify activity pathways using data from the British Household Panel Survey (1996–2008). Multinomial logistic models assessed associations between latent pathways and socio-demographic and health characteristics. Three pathways were observed: full-time work to low activity (49%), part-time and in-home work (34%) and multiple activities (16%). Aside from retirement from full-time work, the pathways of participation in paid and unpaid activities were characterised by continuity; substitution between different forms of paid and unpaid work was not observed. Participation in multiple paid and unpaid activities was more common for respondents in better health and of higher socio-economic status. Since the promotion of paid work and volunteering in later life may mainly benefit individuals in advantaged circumstances, policies should avoid taking a blanket approach to encouraging participation in multiple activities, a key component of active ageing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Inspiring Change Manchester (ICM) programme has aimed to improve outcomes, including employability, for people experiencing multiple disadvantage in Manchester. This paper aims to compare learning from the ICM partnership with wider literature to demonstrate what helps people with experience of multiple disadvantage to achieve training, volunteering or work outcomes and what may prevent this. Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured interviews with people with experience of multiple disadvantage and employers in Manchester working with this group were thematically analysed, and the findings were compared to wider literature, previous ICM research and programme data. The primary research took a peer research approach. Peer researchers co-designed the topic guides, co-facilitated interviews where possible and helped to identify key themes. Findings: Entering and succeeding in training, volunteering and/ or paid work has many positive impacts for people experiencing multiple disadvantage. Ongoing and better awareness raising will be key for more individuals to benefit from such pathways, alongside accessible recruitment processes. Continuous personal and professional development opportunities are important to positive experiences, as is organisational culture. Short-term contracts arose as an issue in the research, more needs to be done to support people with experience of multiple disadvantage into secure work. Originality/value: Although there is a range of literature on good practice and challenges to enable people to engage in training or employment, this often focuses on a particular characteristic or need, rather than experiences of people facing a combination of interrelated needs. This paper also includes first-person lived experience voice, rather than this perspective being interpreted through a particular lens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although distinctions between full-time and part-time work are vital for understanding inequalities at work and home, consensus and critical reflection are lacking in how employment status should be defined. Full-time and part-time work are often represented as a binary split between those working under or over a specific number of hours. However, this paper, using exploratory mixed methods, evidences problems with assumptions based on working-hour thresholds and highlights the importance of workplace culture and household contexts. Using the UK Labour Force Survey we reveal ambiguities in the reporting of employment status for 12% of workers when comparing definitions based on number of working days, working hours and self-assessment. Ambiguities are particularly prevalent among working mothers with almost a third, who would be regarded as working full-time using hour-based measures, classified as ambiguous according to the measures used here. In-depth interviews with parents who self-classify as part-time workers, despite working over 35 hours a week, reveal mechanisms behind ambiguity within this group linked to organisational norms, previous working hours and divisions of household labour. The paper therefore argues workplace and household contexts are crucial to understanding employment status and recommends this should be taken into account in new multidimensional measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) were particularly hard hit by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, some performed relatively well, maintaining or increasing employment growth. We study these differences in performance through the lens of dynamic capabilities (DCs) theory, which we extend by incorporating the moderating effect of government support during COVID-19. We analyse responses from 1421 UK SMEs and find that government support and DCs positively impact employment. We also show that government support moderates the link between DCs and employment with a negative effect after the first COVID-19 lockdown. The findings highlight the role of government policy intervention in discouraging SMEs from effectively exercising DCs during a crisis and the general importance of DCs and government support in enabling SMEs to cope with shocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International research suggests that increasing numbers of autistic people are entering higher education. Currently, very little is known about this population. For example, the rates of autistic people enrolling at UK-based higher education institutions, the demographics of this population, the subjects they study and particularly their graduate outcomes are unknown. This study is an exploratory analysis of autistic graduate outcomes. We compare outcomes between autistic students, other disabled students and non-disabled students, by sex. The article draws upon population data collected by the Higher Education Statistical Agency in the United Kingdom (N = 1,326,416) across the years 2012–2018. Our findings indicate that the academic programmes studied at university by autistic students are more diverse than typically assumed. We also found that graduates make the transition into a range of employment sectors following graduation, but experience persistent and disparities in economic activity and income. We argue that higher education institutions must focus greater attention on developing more robust and effective employment transition support for autistic students and graduates. International research suggests that more autistic people are entering higher education. Currently, very little is known about this group in the United Kingdom, for example, we have little information about how many autistic people enrol at UK-based higher education institutions, their backgrounds, the academic programmes they study and what they do once they have graduated. Our study tries to explore these issues by comparing outcomes between autistic students, other disabled students and non-disabled students. We use population data collected by the Higher Education Statistical Agency in the United Kingdom, which included 1,326,416 graduates across the years 2012–2018. Our findings indicate that the degree subjects studied at university by autistic students are more diverse than often people think. We also found that graduates go on to work in a range of employment sectors following graduation but often experience worse outcomes in terms of access to full-time work and worse pay. We argue that universities and colleges must focus greater attention on developing better employment transition support for autistic students and graduates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Many veterans struggle with the civilian world and the loss of identity associated with leaving the service. This research investigates the Building Heroes Charity's role in assisting service leavers transitioning to civil employment, in the United Kingdom (UK) and what can be learnt from the training and support. Design/methodology/approach: An exploratory case study design was chosen to investigate the transition from military to civilian employment. The case study consisted of 12 in-depth interviews consisting of nine veterans, who had attended the Building Heroes courses and three course tutors. Findings: The Building Heroes Charity does have an important role to fulfill in the transition of military personnel from the service to civilian work. There are positive outcomes that complement the work done by the Career Transition Partnership (CTP), but there still needs to be recognition that the needs of veterans do differ by age, transferability of competencies and the financial resources available. Research limitations/implications: The limitations of this research are the sample size is small and the majority of the veterans are from the Army. This is mostly because the Army is the largest of the services. Originality/value: Though there is limited research into the employment of veterans, there is evidence to demonstrate that veterans are more likely to suffer from depression and potential homelessness than nonservice personnel. This research is unique in investigating the role of a charity whose main purpose is to improve the employability of veterans by reducing the competency skills gap between the military and construction industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and Objectives: To explore the experiences of nursing students in England who had worked through the first wave and transitioned to qualification in the ongoing pandemic. Background: Experiences of health professionals and student nurses during the pandemic are now well documented, but the transition of students to qualification is less well understood. In Summer 2020, we interviewed 16 student nurses who had worked as health care assistants on paid extended placements as part of the COVID‐19 response in the East of England, finding surprisingly positive experiences, including perceived heightened preparedness for qualification. A year later, we re‐interviewed 12 participants from the original study to hear about transitioning to qualification during the ongoing pandemic. This study provides novel insights into their experiences. Design: A qualitative study design was used. Methods: Twelve newly qualified nurses who had participated in the original study took part in qualitative, online interviews where they shared their experiences of working and transitioning to qualification during the ongoing pandemic since we spoke to them a year earlier. The data was analysed using thematic analysis. COREQ guidelines were used in developing and reporting this study. Results: Three themes were identified. Constant change: in the clinical environment and arising out of the transition to newly qualified nurse, mental health and well‐being and reflecting on the past to learn for the future. Conclusions: Participants experienced a unique transition to qualification. The perceived heightened preparedness for qualification that participants who had worked as students during the first wave of the pandemic had become a reality, ameliorating some of the known effects of transition. However, increased expectations and added responsibilities in extremely busy, fluctuating clinical environments with minimal support add weight to calls for mandatory preceptorship programmes. While heightened resilience was evident, provision of ongoing mental health and well‐being support is strongly recommended. Relevance to Clinical Practice: We need a partnership approach with nurse educators and practice colleagues which ensures preparation for qualified practice is appropriate. If we do not effectively prepare students for qualified nurse posts, patient care will almost certainly be compromised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Mental health problems are among the leading causes of disability, with one in four adults in the UK experiencing a mental health disorder. Even with the increasing knowledge concerning mental health disorders, two-thirds of those experiencing concerns are reluctant to disclose their condition and seek professional help. This perceived stigma has a strongly negative correlation with help-seeking behavior, and disproportionately affects healthcare professionals; 26% of mental health professionals in England are reported to be resigning due to a reduction of well-being. Aims: This paper seeks to compare the effects of stigma perceived by mental health and non-mental health professionals, the barriers perceived, and the impact of specific disorders on this stigma. Methods: Using a mixed-methods approach, a survey was conducted to determine the stigma levels and perceived barriers of 108 people; 50% of these participants were professionals working within mental health services. Two focus groups were conducted, one for mental health professionals and one for non-mental health professionals, with four participants in each group. Results: The survey reported that mental health professionals had a lower level of stigma for specific disorders, although male mental health professionals working for less than five years reported a higher level of stigma and perceived barriers than did females with the same experience – with these then reducing after five years. The overarching focus group theme was “changes needed for disclosure”, with each group having four subthemes. Conclusions: Disclosure stigma remains an issue, with further research needing to be conducted to adapt to a minimally stigmatizing service for mental health professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses a dynamic latent factor model to investigate the determinants of not in education, employment or training (NEET) status among adolescents in the United Kingdom. We bring together within one framework various determinants of NEET status, such as educational achievements, non‐cognitive skills, family socio‐economic factors, aspirations, mental health and local labour market conditions. We model the educational progress over multiple periods through the life of the young person, up to the completion of compulsory schooling. By taking into account this progression, we can determine the direct and indirect impacts of different determinants of NEET status, and the stage in the life of the young person at which each determinant is important. Our findings suggest that cognitive ability (as measured by educational achievements) remains the key predictor of NEET status. Further, while a range of individual and family factors determines NEET status, the impact of most of these factors is largely indirect, through ability formation and not necessarily direct. To gauge the relative contributions of various determinants, we conduct simulations to predict the probability of the young person being NEET under different scenarios and assumptions. The exercise indicates that the effects of aspirations of the young person, their school engagement, and the local youth unemployment rate on the likelihood of the young person being NEET are as large as boosting their cognitive skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the COVID‐19 virus, the UK government introduced the Job Retention Scheme in March 2020. The scheme, a novelty in the United Kingdom, provided income support to those furloughed from work. In this paper, we examine how individuals in several occupations and organisations experienced furlough and how they were treated during this enforced period of work absence. Beyond describing their experiences during the furlough, we examine how these experiences threatened and challenged their sense of dignity. Experientially we report on furlough as a time that elicited both delight and despair. The analysis of dignity relates to how treatment based on their employment status rendered many employees marginalised and cast adrift. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the effect of different employment statuses of partners/spouses, on eight metrics of harmony and conflict in the relationships of couples. We use longitudinal data from the United Kingdom covering the period 2009–2019 to examine the combination of a partner being self-employed or wage-employee, and their spouse being in either one of nine statuses (e.g. caring for family or home). We find that self-employment is more frequently observed in combinations of employment statuses which support harmony in couples, whereas wage-employment with combinations that offer security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recovery is experienced in both positive and negative ways and this paper attempts to integrate the 'pains of desistance' approach into a recovery capital framework. Pains experienced as a result of negative recovery capital are often thought to stimulate motivations for positive behavioral change, usually through a 'rock bottom' type moment. Whilst recovery capital and barriers to recovery have been explored in the literature, conceptualizing these as push and pull factors, and exploring their dynamic interaction, especially at distinct phases of recovery has not. Toward filling these gaps, we use the life-narratives of 30 people in recovery to explore how the pains of recovery (push factors) alongside different forms of recovery capital (pull factors) impact upon and are managed differentially at distinct phases of the recovery journey. Findings indicate the pains of recovery rarely led to positive changes. Rather, a range of pull factors created and promoted positive changes. However, the life narratives reveal that recovery capital cannot be accrued or sustained without managing (eliminating or reducing) the pains of recovery. Overall, this work highlights the need for policy and practice to help reduce the pains of recovery, especially during early recovery to accelerate transition to more stable phases of recovery. As recovery is neither a linear pathway nor a journey without residual challenges for many people, there is much to be learned about effective ongoing management strategies in preventing a return to problematic use that utilize a push and pull framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unexpected disruptions to Western countries which affected women more adversely than men. Previous studies suggest that gender differences are attributable to: women being over-represented in the most affected sectors of the economy, women's labour market disadvantage as compared to their partners, and mothers taking a bigger share childcare responsibilities following school closures. Using the data from four British nationally representative cohort studies, we test these propositions. Our findings confirm that the adverse labour market effects were still experienced by women a year into the COVID-19 pandemic and that these effects were the most severe for women who lived with a partner and children, even if they worked in critical occupations. We show that adjusting for pre-pandemic job characteristics attenuates the gaps, suggesting that women were over-represented in jobs disproportionately affected by COVID-19 pandemic. However, the remaining gaps are not further attenuated by adjusting for the partner's job and children characteristics, suggesting that the adversities experienced by women were not driven by their relative labour market position, as compared to their partners or childcare responsibilities. The residual gender differences observed in the rates of active, paid work and furlough for those who live with partner and children point to the importance of unobserved factors such as social norms, preferences, or discrimination. These effects may be long-lasting and jeopardise women's longer-term position through the loss of experience, leading to reinforcement of gender inequalities or even reversal of the progress towards gender equality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whilst there is a rich literature on maternity and employment, and an emerging literature on mental health and employment, which inform policy and human resources (HR) practice, there is a lack of consideration of the intersection of these issues—the two‐way relationship between maternal (specifically 'perinatal') mental health and employment. To understand individual employee perinatal mental health and employment experiences and pathways, and also trends in workplace experience in different contexts, researchers should consider the interaction of four elements: the body; the socio‐cultural context; individual agency and time. Drawing on existing transdisciplinary literature and illustrative examples from the UK context, a series of issues for exploration are identified at different levels of a bio‐ecological systems framework. The article concludes with implications for HR management practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2019, the employment rate among 25‐ to 64‐year‐olds in the UK reached 80 per cent – the highest on record, and considerably higher than the 76 per cent rate recorded shortly before the Great Recession. In this paper, we investigate the growth in employment between the eve of the Great Recession and the eve of COVID‐19 across several dimensions. We analyse which sectors, demographic groups and regions accounted for the rise. We also investigate how job 'quality' – in both financial and non‐financial terms – has changed. We find that almost all demographic groups and regions saw a rise in employment, especially those with low pre‐existing employment rates and those near the bottom of the income distribution. Hourly pay growth was very weak over the period, with the median actually slightly falling. Other indicators of job quality show a more mixed picture: employees seem to have greater appreciation of their work and firm, but perceive less security and flexibility in their job. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, policymakers around the globe have increasingly invested in digital health technologies to support the 'test, track and trace' approach of containing the spread of the novel coronavirus. These technologies include mobile 'contact tracing' applications (apps), which can trace individuals likely to have come into contact with those who have reported symptoms or tested positive for the virus and request that they self-isolate. This paper takes a critical public health perspective that advocates for 'genuine participation' in public health interventions and emphasises the need to take citizen's knowledge into account during public health decision-making. In doing so, it presents and discusses the findings of a UK interview study that explored public views on the possibility of using a COVID-19 contact-tracing app public health intervention at the time the United Kingdom (UK) Government announced their decision to develop such a technology. Findings illustrated interviewees' range and degree of understandings, misconceptions, and concerns about the possibility of using an app. In particular, concerns about privacy and surveillance predominated. Interviewees associated these concerns much more broadly than health by identifying with pre-existent British national narratives associated with individual liberty and autonomy. In extending and contributing to ongoing sociological research with public health, we argue that understanding and responding to these matters is vital, and that our findings demonstrate the need for a forward-looking, anticipatory strategy for public engagement as part of the responsible innovation of the COVID-19 contact-tracing app in the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the relationship between social participation and subjective health. Using individual‐level data from the British Household Panel Survey, we show that being an active member of a social or sport organisation increases self‐rated physical and psychological health. For men, the benefits of social interaction work primarily via physical pathways, while women report a more psychosocial channel. We separate the main results by occupation and document some heterogeneity. Manual workers find more physical and psychological relief via social involvement, whereas non‐manual workers are more likely to take relief from sport participation. Interestingly, as the number of associations in which the individual is active increases, the incremental increase in social benefits diminishes. Our findings point to the importance of promoting social and sport activities in health communication and policy making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While not the only motive for Chinese students to come to study in the UK, employability must be one key factor. Yet there is relatively little research on perceptions among students, employers and teachers of how studying in the UK impacts employment prospects. This paper seeks to compare the views of these stakeholders on what are the essential skills needed for employability and whether these match those gained through study abroad. The data used was from an online questionnaire. The data showed that while there seemed to be some agreement about what skills were valued for employability and about what was learned in studying in the UK yet there was quite a strong mismatch between the two. Free text responses to the survey confirmed from previous research that reverse culture shock and work experience issues were important barriers to employability. They also revealed some types of challenge not identified or given emphasis before such as a reverse language shock and a misalignment between the timing of recruitment rounds and study in the UK. The data also confirmed the relative weakness of career advice for international students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper begins by giving a description of the relationship between austerity and the neoliberal policy focus on work in the UK, and how this impacts negatively on disabled people. It examines why Black disabled people's employment experiences have been missing in the literature despite the fact that they are more affected by austerity. Black disabled people's experiences in the job market tend to focus on racism and discrimination, whilst other struggles linked to disability, and what this implies for Black people, are poorly understood. A case study, of Black disabled workers, living with the sickle cell condition, is examined to comprehend why more nuanced intersectional research might be needed to understand why some Black people's experiences of employment remain invisible. While there has been a lot of attention on disability and impact of austerity and employment in the England, certain experiences have been missing in analysis. The study explains why Black disabled people's employment experiences are neglected in disability, ethnic minority as well as within employment research. Black people's experiences in the job market tend to focus on racist discrimination or identities, whilst other struggles linked to class, sexism and disability discrimination are poorly delineated. A case study of Black disabled workers with a genetic condition, sickle cell, is given to argue that more nuanced research is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to argue that the application of social policy in the North East of England is often characterised by tension and conflict. The agencies and professionals charged with implementation of Westminster driven policies constantly seek to deploy their knowledge of local conditions in order to make them both practical and palatable.Design/methodology/approach This paper examines the region via established literature from history, geography, sociology and social policy. The paper gives illustrations via empirical work which has evaluated initiatives to improve the health of long term health-related benefit recipients and to sustain individuals in employment in the region.Findings Central to the paper’s argument is the notion of “biographies of place”. The core of this idea is that places have biographies in the same way as individuals and possess specific identities. These biographies have been shaped by the intersections between environment, history, culture and economic and social policy. The paper identifies the region’s economic development, subsequent decline and the alliance of labour politics and industrial employers around a common consensus that sought economic prosperity and social progress via a vision of “modernisation” as a key component of this biography.Originality/value The paper argues that an appreciation of these spatial biographies can result in innovative and more effective social policy interventions with the potential to address issues that affect entire localities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Armed forces are reinventive institutions that shape the identity of their members. Leaving the military involves an adjustment to civilian employment that may be turbulent at times. Objective: The aim is to understand the experiences of self and other military healthcare professionals' midlife career transitions. Methods: This qualitative study applied heuristic inquiry research methods. This included a thematic analysis of the researcher's personal experience (diary and reflections) combined with data from interviews or communication with other veterans (n = 10) within a creative synthesis. Results: The themes identified within the study were: The tipping point for leaving; adjustment as a veteran; progression within a new workplace. We experienced a divergence in values away from military service leading to a tipping point for leaving that was followed by a triple whammy of uncertainty about leaving, insecurity in a new job, and loss of identity that impacted mental wellbeing and needed to be overcome. Conclusion: This study has revealed new insights about being a military veteran and transitioning to civilian employment. These insights could lead to changes in how veterans prepare for a midlife career change, retention of personnel within military forces, and how civilian employers support veterans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epidemiological evidence suggests that regular physical activity (PA) positively impacts individuals' mental health (MH). The PA-MH relationship may be critical among immigrants owing to psycho-social-cultural influences. This scoping review of 61 studies employed a holistic bio-psycho-socio-cultural framework to thoroughly investigate the complex relationship between PA (across life domains) and immigrants' MH in Western countries. A systematic search of five electronic databases (Medline, PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO and Anthropology Plus) was conducted to locate relevant articles. No limitations were applied to study design, age, gender, home country, MH condition or PA type. A bio-psycho-socio-cultural-informed conceptual model guided the analysis of the multi-domain PA-MH relationship. Immigrant PA-MH studies were conducted and reported most commonly in the USA (38%), Australia (18%), and Canada (11%). Overall, PA was positively related to MH. Each domain-specific PA appeared to be associated with unique MH-promoting pathways/mechanisms. Leisure-related PA may support MH by enhancing self-agency and minimizing risky behaviors, whilst travel- and domestic-related PA may promote self-accomplishment and physical engagement. Ethnic sports appeared to enhance resilience. Occupational-related PA was associated with either positive or negative MH, depending on the type of occupation. A bio-psycho-socio-cultural-informed model is required to gain an encompassing and integrated understanding of immigrants' health. The first iteration of such a model is presented here, along with an illustration of how the model may be used to deepen analysis and understanding of the multi-domain PA-MH relationship among immigrants and inform public health planners and practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dual or multiple earnership has been considered an important factor to prevent in-work poverty. The aim of this paper is to quantify the impact of second earnership on the risk of in-work poverty and the role of the tax-benefit system in moderating this risk. Our analysis refers to 2014 and employs EUROMOD, the tax-benefit microsimulation model for the European Union and the United Kingdom. In order to assess the role of second earners in preventing in-work poverty we simulate a counterfactual scenario where second earners become unemployed. Our results show that the effect of net replacement rates (i.e. the ratio of household income before and after the transition of second earners to unemployment) on the probability of in-work poverty is negative and statistically significant, but in relative terms it appears to be small compared to the effects of individual labour market characteristics, such as low pay and part-time employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People with learning disabilities are living longer. Older people with learning disabilities should be included in policies and plans that are for all older people. National plans and policies for older people often do not say anything about older people with learning disabilities, and it is hard to know whether older people with learning disabilities are benefiting. People who plan services locally often do not have good information on older people with learning disabilities. Using the Equalities Act 2010 could help people who plan services and write policy to think about older people with learning disabilities but this is not happening at the moment. People who work with older people with learning disabilities should be aware of policy for all older people, so that older people with learning disabilities do not miss out. This paper seeks to explore the opportunities and challenges generated by current policy, guidance and legislation in England relating to older people, in terms of the practical implications for older people with learning disabilities. Using the broad themes housing, employment, social inclusion and isolation, care and support, and promoting better health and well-being, this paper discusses potential practical opportunities and concerns for older people with learning disabilities arising from policy and legislation such as current initiatives regarding integration, personalisation and the dementia policy. Consideration is given to the implications of changing policy and practice for both current and future generations of people with a learning disability as they reach older age. This discussion paper concludes that whilst there is potential for older people with a learning disability to benefit from policy and practice aimed at improving the lives of older people generally, the tendency for policy to be targeted at specific groups without adequately considering the diversity of those groups often leaves those with a learning disability at the margins of being able to make the most of changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]