Social stratification in job quality in the United Kingdom 

Internal Seminar for Researchers

Research Area: Management: Work, Employment, Organisation and Public Policy (WEOPP)

Abstract: It is now widely accepted that ‘job quality’ involves more than pay and security, but also the extent to which jobs offer realistic scope for development and fulfilment. Drawing on decades of survey data, this talk will explore trends in job quality—defined multidimensionally—in the United Kingdom between different kinds of jobs, covering disparities in pay, security, overall job quality, and the related concept of meaningful work. It will also explore ways in which occupational mobility, regulation, and job quality national statistics might improve working lives in the current post-pandemic context. 

About Mark: Mark Williams is a Professor of Human Resource Management in the School of Business and Management, Queen Mary University of London. Mark is a quantitative sociologist specialising in mapping socio-economic disparities in the United Kingdom’s labour force. Much of his work has focused on mapping pay disparities across the occupational structure. Over the years, he has developed interests in the quality of jobs more broadly as well as attitudes to jobs. Prior to joining QMUL in 2019, he held posts at the London School of Economics and the University of Surrey.