Sarah O'Connor

Thursday, 1 June, 2023

Tuesday, 30 May, 2023

Work & Careers

Don’t bet against the ‘suitcase principle’ of white-collar work

Humans have a remarkable ability to create jobs for themselves — whatever the progress of technology

Wednesday, 24 May, 2023

Artificial intelligence

Let’s not write people off as ‘AI losers’

The idea that the outcome of technological change is inevitable is both dangerous and untrue

Tuesday, 9 May, 2023

Working from home

The ability to work from home does not just benefit the elite

More flexibility has improved work-life balance for many since the pandemic began

Tuesday, 2 May, 2023

UK society

People are numb to big numbers

Millions, billions, trillions — the human brain isn’t wired to comprehend information on a large scale

Tuesday, 25 April, 2023

UK employment

Let’s enforce existing labour market laws before we write new ones

The UK lags behind the rest of the developed world in ensuring compliance with regulations

Tuesday, 18 April, 2023

EU immigration

Why countries are jostling to attract migrant workers

Labour shortages and demographic pressures fuel competition for skilled people

Tuesday, 4 April, 2023

EU employment

How Spain has taken on the problem of precarious work

A country famous for temporary jobs is experimenting with new types of contract to boost permanent employment

Tuesday, 28 March, 2023

Future of work

We are all secretaries now

Cost-cutting has left workers drowning in ‘self-service’ admin tasks — but AI might come to the rescue

Saturday, 25 March, 2023

Special ReportWorld of Work

My first job: what I wish I had known

Tips to make a good impression from the start, from those who have been there before

Tuesday, 21 March, 2023

UK employment

Now is not the moment to push people into just any job

Forcing the unemployed into low-paid work isn’t a good solution to today’s labour market problems

Wednesday, 8 March, 2023

Economists Exchange

Alan Manning: ‘Achieving growth by just having more people is not what we should aim for’

The UK government’s former immigration adviser considers whether Britain’s post-Brexit migrant strategy has worked

Tuesday, 7 March, 2023

Coronavirus economic impact

The plight of ship crews stranded at sea

Maritime workers are a vital link in supply chains but have little visibility and little protection

Tuesday, 28 February, 2023

UK business & economy

Here’s how to stop an ever sicker workforce dropping out

Occupational therapists may provide one practical solution to those struggling with their physical or mental health

Tuesday, 14 February, 2023

UK employment

It is possible to hate your job but love your work

People find meaning in all kinds of employment — but that can be eroded by low pay, bureaucracy and squeezed resources

Tuesday, 7 February, 2023

Education

We should all be asking more questions

Fear of looking ‘stupid’ holds us back from understanding the world better

Tuesday, 31 January, 2023

Employment

The kids are alright after all

It was feared the pandemic would harm young people’s job prospects but so far that doesn’t appear to be true

Tuesday, 24 January, 2023

Economic statistics

How (not) to explain economics to the public

The UK chancellor’s attempt to do so risked exacerbating an already significant deficit of trust and understanding

Tuesday, 17 January, 2023

Working It podcast19 min listen

Is maternity leave still a career killer?

There is enduring stigma around motherhood in the workplace

Tuesday, 17 January, 2023

Employment

In labour markets, the devil is often in the detail

Non-compete clauses buried in contracts stack the deck against workers

Tuesday, 10 January, 2023

Employment

Solving strikes is not about winning the argument

Creative solutions are needed if we are to unlock the current disputes

Tuesday, 3 January, 2023

Social affairs

It is getting harder for charities to maintain the social safety net

The cash-strapped voluntary sector does things the state used to, including providing basic necessities

Tuesday, 20 December, 2022

UK employment

Has the pendulum really swung from capital to labour?

Worker power hasn’t strengthened as much as expected in 2022

Thursday, 15 December, 2022

UK employment

What if work is making us sick?

While employment has become less physically dangerous, it seems to have become more psychologically harmful

Tuesday, 6 December, 2022

Ageing Populations

Do you really want to live to be 100?

‘Healthy life expectancy’ is an important measure of what people want — and in the UK, it’s not looking good

Employment columnist

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