People, Work and Employment

It examines issues ranging from employee voice and wellbeing, learning and development, resourcing and talent management, ethics, equality and justice at work, organisational culture and change, to people and employment relations related challenges arising from globalisation and other global trends. 

Our group also includes specialisms such as art and activism, grief, volunteer work as well as creative and inclusive pedagogies and gamification in learning.

Research interests

Employee well-being, learning and development, equality, diversity and inclusion, organisational culture and change, employment relations, workplace mental health.

Research highlights

• Mental health as a determinant of work: Evaluating the impact of the national NHS Talking therapies Employment Advisers programme on Mental health, work, inequalities, costs, and the economy (Support2Work)
• Co-Producing EDI interventions in Virtual Production
• COST Action into LGBTI+ social and economic (in)equalities
• Local Theatres: Participation, Inclusion, Imagination
• LGBT+Networks
• Management capacity and capability in healthcare: What difference does it make?

Thought leadership in PWE

At the heart of our research is a focus on evidence-based approaches and our work is unified by a commitment to creating meaningful positive change and real engagement with the social challenges of our time. Our research and practice aim to offer holistic insights and strategies that help organisations create more humanistic and sustainable work environments. Our scholarship also translates into our teaching programmes and using innovative teaching methods we contribute to developing a future generation of responsible citizens and leaders.

Our work spans a range of organisational contexts, both within and beyond traditional workplaces including not-for-profit organisations, for instance, long standing collaborations with the NHS and charities, extending to gig workers, freelancers, volunteers, and those in creative industries. By asking important questions and engaging in provocative discussions, we aim to contribute to the development of workplaces that champion voice, respect, justice and wellbeing for all.

Methods employed:

Qualitative methods including interviews and ethnography; quantitative research including survey research and quantitative social science

Funded projects include:

Funded projects include successful applications to the following awarding bodies:

AHRC, ESRC, NHS, NIHR, The Health Foundation, Wellcome Trust

Group leadership

• Professor Katharina Bader, Head of Group
• Dr Frank Worthington, Research Seminar Coordinator