Remote working: exploring regional variation and socio-economic inequalities

The project builds on established relationships between the supervisors and the Welsh Government (WG). Jones is currently providing advice on the socio-economic impact of COVID19 and, Felstead has given evidence on remote working to the Senedd and is in regular contact with the remote working policy team. The focus and aims of the research have been developed through these activities and address knowledge gaps that will directly inform the WG national remote working strategy and commitment that 30% of the workforce will work remotely long-term.
The proposal builds on growing international interest in homeworking during COVID19 which documented its scale, nature and consequences. The initial evidence focused on estimating ability to work from home, whilst subsequent analysis considered employees experience of homeworking and preferences for the future. This project will contribute to the literature by tracking up-to-date information to explore how the location of work is changing. It will focus on differences across areas and socio-economic characteristics, including among parents, informal carers and disabled people who may be expected to benefit disproportionately. In doing so, it will inform debates about the potential for changes in the location of work to reduce labour market inequality