Employment has become more secure over the last decade despite the impact of the pandemic, new research suggests.
Compared with 2010, there are proportionally fewer people working variable hours, working part-time involuntarily, or wanting more hours, said a report.
The proportion of people in non-permanent employment and on low pay has also fallen, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).
But the study also indicated that insecurity remains a problem for a significant minority of workers.
The analysis from a range of sources including official employment figures showed that almost one in five workers are “non-permanent” employees, such as self-employed or on temporary contracts, which the CIPD said had fallen from 19.2% in 2010.
Jonathan Boys, labour market economist for the CIPD, said: “It’s positive to see that work has become more secure in the last 10 years on most measures.
“The worst of the impact of the pandemic on jobs is expected to be temporary and the positives, such as more flexible working and homeworking, seem likely to settle at above pre-pandemic norms.
“However, when it comes to working arrangements, one size does not fit all. One person’s flexibility could be another person’s insecurity.
“Employers must manage atypical arrangements responsibly, keeping choice and job quality at the heart of discussions about different ways of working.”
