Methods/Approach

This research was desk-based and involved a Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) of academic and non-academic peer-reviewed articles, policy and research reports and evaluations, and working papers (all in English). While the REA focused primarily on UK-based studies, research from other regions were included where these offered insights. Table 1 in Appendix A summarises our PICO (Patient or problem, Intervention or exposure, Comparison or control and Outcome) research framework and provides further information about search parameters and key databases.

The REA had two aims. First, to identify and review existing knowledge on policy levers and how these are (or may be) applied in advancing fair work. Second, to evaluate any evidence on the effectiveness of levers in generating their intended outcome(s). Further, any potential levers had to be applicable to fair work in general, or to one or more of its components; and had to be consistent with the powers available to the Scottish Government.

The REA was wide-ranging, nuanced and complex. There is no shortage of research on all aspects of human resource practice, job quality and employment relations (the wider literatures in which debates on fair work are located). However, the research base that goes beyond describing workplace practices to evaluating their impact is significantly more limited. In addition, much of the wider research base on job quality interventions focusses on the use of legislative powers. This constrains the scope for learning from wider research, given the need not only to focus on practice that can be impacted by policy levers (as opposed to practices that are in the control of employers), but also the more limited policy levers available to the Scottish Government.

In considering how levers might bring about change in practice, a lever might impact on one or more of the following ways: increase awareness of what fair work means; encourage better understanding of fair work; promote endorsement of fair work; help guide action; support monitoring and evaluation of the impact of fair work; and/or enhance dissemination and facilitate learning about fair work, its outcomes and impact.