Underemployment —which includes situations of labour underutilisation in terms of hours, pay, and/or skills—has negative consequences in terms of job satisfaction and productivity, health and wellbeing, and finances. Labour underutilisation (or underemployment) has been increasing in the labour market since 2008 (Torres et al., 2023). While the rise of insecure work and in-work poverty in the UK has attracted merited attention, the broader phenomenon of underemployment (that encompass time-, wage-, or skills-underemployment) has received less consideration despite its growth and impact.
This brief presents findings from interviews with nineteen employers, representatives from three employer federations and one trade union. Participating employers consist mainly of private firms operating in the hospitality, retail and wholesale, and health and social care sectors, with an even split of micro, small and large companies, and a minority of medium size firms.
Read the full report here: Employers’ perspectives on Underemployment | PolicyBristol | University of Bristol