Report challenges views of how we work

In Britain's world of work, former Financial Times journalist Robert Taylor argues that in a number of important ways, how we work and the reasons why we work haven't changed fundamentally, at least not during the last decade. We are not all changing our jobs more frequently, but neither are we more loyal to our employers. Information technology has changed work for many of us, but the internet is used mainly by professionals.

Other changes have involved greater pressure to perform.

One of the central themes of the report is why we go to work at all. The main reason among all occupational groups is still money, be it money to live or money to buy "extras".

Over half of manual workers agree that work is "just a means to earn a living". The proportion falls for the other main occupational groups - down to around two in five for routine non-manuals, around a third for technicians/supervisors and administrators, and only one in five for professionals and managers. On this question very little has changed since earlier research carried out in 1992.

The same lack of change stands out in the response to questions about employees' "organisational commitment". Three quarters agreed or strongly agreed that they would work "harder than I have" to help the organisation they work for succeed, and are "proud" to be working for that organisation. But barely more than one in five would "take almost any job to stay with this organisation", or "turn down a job with better pay to stay with this organisation".

Changing jobs

But are we all moving from job to job more frequently, as some predicted? The answer seems to be no. Between 1992 and 2000 the average length of time we spend in each job actually increased, giving the impression of greater stability in the labour market. Professionals, technicians and supervisors on average stay in their job for eight to nine years, manual workers and administrators six to seven years, and routine non-manual workers five years.

In contrast with a similar survey in 1992, when the economy was in recession, there was less temporary and fixed-term contract working.

Turning to the job itself, workers in every occupational group were less likely to be "completely or very satisfied" with the hours they work in 2000 than they were in 1992. This was true for men and women alike. Most said that they worked long hours because of "deadlines" or because it was a "job requirement". Money was also key factor.

A majority in most occupational groups said they now find IT "essential" in their jobs, and skills in this area have grown. But while home computers and mobile phones are now commonplace, use of the internet for work purposes is largely confined to professionals and managers (over 50%) and administrators (29%).

Performance pay

Another area of real change has been in pressure to perform. The report finds strong evidence that "an increasing proportion of employees have their pay or part of it determined by some measurement of their performance". This isn't just about individual performance-related pay. There has been a "dramatic jump" in pay arrangements based on team or group effort, while the proportion of private sector employees with pay based on the overall performance of the organisation also grew during the last decade. Much vaunted freedom and autonomy at work has gone hand in hand with increased control and surveillance, and most workers find that their jobs are still under the control of management.

Finally, the research confirms that the old inequalities persist. Higher professional and managerial groups were far more likely to have an occupational pension, occupational sick pay, and access to private healthcare than other workers.

The report concludes that if employees are going to co-operate in a positive and active manner with the management of workplace change "they are going to need a greater sense of well-being, status and control over the work they perform".

* Britain's world of work - myths and realities, Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) - tel: 01793 413000