Workplace Employment Relations Study (WERS)
Background on the Workplace Employment Relations Study (WERS), which is a national survey of people at work in Britain
The Workplace Employment Relations Study is the flagship survey of employment relations in Britain that collects data from employers, employee representatives and employees in a representative sample of workplaces. It has been undertaken five times in 1980, 1984, 1990, 1998 and 2004. Fieldwork for the sixth WERS (WERS6) is now underway and is scheduled to be completed by mid 2012.
WERS6 is co-sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS), Acas, the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) and the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR). NIESR’s involvement is made possible through funding from the Nuffield Foundation. The main objectives of WERS are as follows:
- To map workplace employment relations in Britain and changes over time.
- To inform policy development and stimulate and inform debate and practice.
- To provide a comprehensive and statistically reliable datataset on British workplace employment relations, which is made publicly available and easily accessible.
The information collected in WERS comes from three distinct sources:
- A random probability sample of workplaces in which face-to-face structured interviews are conducted with the most senior manager responsible for employment relations and personnel issues. In each workplace a self-completion questionnaire is distributed before the interview to collate information on the basic characteristics of the workforce, and a second questionnaire is left at the end of the interview to assess the financial performance of the workplace.
- survey interviews are undertaken in the same workplaces, with one trade union employee representative and one non-trade union representative where present.
- a self-completion survey with a representative group of up to 25 employees, randomly selected from each workplace participating in the survey
Some of the key information that has been produced by the survey includes:
- how workplaces are managed and organised
- individual and collective representation at work
- trade union recognition and membership
- dispute resolution
- fair treatment at work
- family-friendly policies
- employment equality, selection and recruitment
- how learning and training activities are undertaken
- adoption of high involvement management practices
The information that is provided by respondents to the survey is analysed and published in a report that informs policy-makers and practitioners who work in the field of employment relations. Anonymised data is deposited at the UK Data Archive along with previous sweeps in the series.
Further information about WERS6
Further information on WERS5 conducted in 2004
Further information
Dr Brigid van Wanrooy
WERS6 Project Leader
Employment Relations Directorate (3rd Floor, Abbey 1)
Department for Business, Innovation & Skills
1 Victoria Street
London SW1H 0ET
Tel: 020 7215 5890
email: brigid.vanwanrooy@bis.gsi.gov.uk
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