Professor Jonathan Payne

Jonathan Payne is Professor of Work, Employment and Skills. His main research interests include the political economy of skill, workplace innovation, UK skills policy, low wage work, job quality, active labour market policy and the role of the third sector, and digital automation.

He has published extensively in these areas and is a co-author of Skills in the Age of Over-Qualification: Comparing Service Sector Work in Europe (Oxford University Press, 2016).

Prior to working in higher education from 1996, Jonathan was a teacher in mainstream secondary schools. He currently teaches on post-graduate modules on employee resourcing.

He is a member of the editorial board of the 'British Journal of the Sociology of Education' and an associate member of the research network on Skills, Knowledge and Organisational Performance (SKOPE), for whom he was a lead researcher between 1998 and 2012.

He has advised policymakers on skills utilisation, lifelong learning and workplace innovation in Scotland, England, Finland and Norway.

He is currently researching the impact of digital automation on jobs, skills and wider job quality, and was the principal investigator on a Leverhulme-funded research project entitled: 'Digital technologies and job quality: do trade unions make a difference?' (£166,000, May 2020-January 2023). The study draws upon interviews with trade unions in selected sectors in Norway and the UK.

He is also conducting a project looking at the role of third sector organisations in helping vulnerable and long-term unemployed persons into work which examines the scope for a 'co-designed' approach to developing personalised packages of support, along with the role of employer engagement.

Institute of Responsible Business and Social Justice (full member). Centre of Law and Social Justice.

View a full listing of Jonathan Payne's publications and outputs.

Key recent research outputs include:

Lloyd. C. and Payne, J. (2023) ‘Trade unions, digitalisation and country effects: A comparative study of banking in Norway and the UK’, European Journal of Industrial Relations, online first, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/09596801231188003

Butler, P. and Payne, J. (2023) ‘Employer engagement with third-sector activation programmes for vulnerable groups: interrogating logics and roles’, Journal of Social Policy, first view, 1-19, https://doi.org/10.1017/S0047279423000211 

Payne, J., Lloyd, C. and Jose. S.P. (2023) ‘“They tell us after they’ve decided things”: a cross-country analysis of unions and digitalisation in retail’, Industrial Relations Journal 54(1): 3-19

Lloyd, C. and Payne, J. (2022) ‘Digital skills in context: Working with robots in lower-skilled jobs’, Economic and Industrial Democracy, online first

Payne, J. and Butler, P. (2022) ‘Of charities and choice: Researching the choices of the long-term unemployed on third-sector employability programmes’, Human Relations (online first). https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/00187267221105854

Lloyd, C. and Payne, J. (2021) ‘Food for thought: Robots, jobs and skills in food and drink processing in Norway and the UK’, New Technology, Work and Employment, 28(2): 272-290

Lloyd, C. and Payne, J. (2021) ‘Fewer jobs, better jobs? An international comparative study of robots and ‘routine’ work in the public sector’, Industrial Relations Journal, 52: 109-124.

Lloyd, C. and Payne, J. (2019) ‘Rethinking country effects: robots, AI and work futures in Norway and the UK, New Technology, Work and Employment, 34(3): 208-225.

Lloyd, C. and Payne, J. (2016) Skills in the Age of Over-Qualification: Comparing Service Sector Work in Europe, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

The political economy of skill

Skills policy

Workplace innovation

Job quality

Low wage work and job quality

Automation, trade unions and the future of work

Third-sector employability programmes for the vulnerable, long-term unemployed

Employee Resourcing in its Economic and Labour Market Context (post-graduate)

Global Resourcing and Talent Management (post-graduate)

PhD and Masters dissertation supervision

BA (Hons) Politics (University of York) 1987

MA (econ) Political Theory (University of Manchester) 1989

PGCE (University of East Anglia) 1991

Employee Resourcing in its Economic and Labour Market Context (post-graduate)

Global Resourcing and Talent Management (post-graduate)

HEA Associate Fellow (2016)

Trade unions and digital automation

I am currently researching the impact of digital automation on jobs, skills and wider job quality, and was the principal investigator on a Leverhulme-funded research project entitled 'Digital technologies and job quality: do trade unions make a difference?' (£160,633, May 2020-June 2023). A joint project with Professor Caroline Lloyd (Cardiff University), the study draws upon interviews with trade unions in selected sectors in Norway and the UK. The reseach findings have been published in the Industrial Relations Journal and the European Journal of Industrial Relations, with further outputs planned. Further information can be found on the project website at: https://udig.powi.dmu.ac.uk/  

Third-sector employability programmes

I am also conducting a project (with Dr Peter Butler, DMU) looking at the role of third sector organisations (TSOs) in helping the unemployed into work which examines the scope for a 'co-designed' approach to developing personalised packages of support, along with the role of employer engagement. Two articles have recently been published in Human Relations and the Journal of Social Policy, with others planned. This project has been extended to examine the impact of funding and commissioning changes after 'Brexit' on the capacity of TSOs to deliver employability support. The project looks at the impact of the loss of European Social Funding and the transition to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, together with the role of local authorities in commissioning.

‘Insecure lives and the policy disconnect: How multiple insecurities affect Levelling Up and what joined-up policy can do to help’ (June 2024-March 2025) is a project led by the London School of Economics and Political Science (Prof Rebecca Tunstall) with academic partners from Bristol, De Montfort, Huddersfield, Leeds, Sheffield Hallam and Ulster universities. This ESRC-funded research explores how multiple, place-based insecurities impact people’s ability to participate in education, skills training and work, and how policies can more effectively address these insecurities to improve outcomes for people. The research will address this through: [1] Innovative quantitative analysis of national datasets to offer new insights into the geographical patterning of multiple insecurity; [2] Novel qualitative visual story-telling with people in three diverse areas of England, exploring their lived experience of insecurities and factors that mitigate these; [3] A rapid evidence review of ‘promising approaches’ to identify what works in reducing risks at the national, regional and local levels; [4] Dialogues with policymakers and other ‘risk influencers’ to develop new ideas for mitigating and reducing multiple insecurities. The project will use innovative arts-based methods of knowledge exchange to drive positive change.   

 ‘Insecure lives and the policy disconnect: How multiple insecurities affect Levelling Up and what joined-up policy can do to help’ – Tunstall, R.; Pearse, S.; Webb, J.; Lomax, H.; Payne, J.; Grugulis, I.; Mangan, A.; Henderson, S.; ESRC, ES/Z000149/1, June 2024- March 2025, £293,710.  

Regional Differentials, Changing Working Patterns and High-Skilled Labour Mobility (June 2024-March 2025; £239,117). Funded by the ESRC, this project examines how the 'zoomshock' revolution in hyrid working/working-from-home is impacting on the residential and other spatial mobility of high-skilled labour and its implications for the growth trajectories of cities and regions in the UK. The project brings together a multi-disciplinary team of researchers from the University of Southampton, DMU, University of Birmingham City-REDI, University of the Arts London and the University of St Andrews.

 

Jonathan has presented numerous papers at a range of international conferences including the International Labour Process Conference, SASE, BUIRA, and the Work, Employment and Society conference. Recent conference presentations include:

Lloyd, C. and Payne, J. (2023) ‘‘‘Making us visible?” Trade union involvement in the digitalisation of clerical work in hospitals in Norway and the UK,’ CERIC/MBS Disrupting Technology Conference, Prato, Italy, June 11-13.

Lloyd, C., Payne, J. and Jose, S. (2022) ‘Unions shaping digital technologies in banking? Comparing Norway and the UK’, British Universities Industrial Relations Association (BUIRA) conference, University of Birmingham, June 28-30.

Lloyd, C. and Payne, J. (2022) ‘Trade unions and the implementation of digital technologies: the case of food and drink processing sector in Norway and the UK’, New Worlds of Work in the Manufacturing Sector? Productive Models and Industrial Relations in the Digital Transformation, Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, the Sant’Anna School Node de Artes and Gerpisa, Pisa, Italy, May 24.

 

Jose, S., Lloyd, C. and Payne, J. (2022) ‘Shapers of technological change? Trade union strategies and influence in the grocery retail sector in Norway and the UK’, International Labour Process Conference, University of Padova, Italy, April 21-23.

Jose, S., Lloyd, C. and Payne, J. (2021) ‘Trade Unions and Digitalisation: Comparing union influence in the banking sector in Norway and the UK’, Industrial Relations in Europe Conference, Scuola Normale Superiore, Palazzo Strozzi, Florence, September 16-17.

Jose, S., Lloyd, C. and Payne, J. (2021) Workshop: Digitalisation and Job Quality – Do Trade Unions Make a Difference? Challenging Tech conference, organised by Data Justice Lab and Prospect Union, Cardiff University, 6 May.

Lloyd, C. and Payne, J. (2020), ‘What difference does it make? Exploring “country effects” on the use of robotics in the food and drinking processing industry in Norway and the UK’, CERIC conference on Disrupting Technology: Contextualising Continuity and Change in Technology, Work and Employment, Leeds University Business School, January 16-17, 2020.

Lloyd, C. and Payne, J. (2019) ‘It ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it? Introducing robotics in the food and drink industry in Norway’, International Labour Process Conference, Fragmentations and Solidarities, Vienna, April 24-26.

Lloyd, C. and Payne, J. (2018) ‘Are there still differences in national approaches to innovation? Robotics and the implications for work’, 9^th Nordic Work Life Conference, Oslo, June 13-15

Lloyd, C. and Payne, J. (2018) ‘A tale of two sectors: the impact of robotic and artificial intelligence technologies on jobs, skills and job quality in Norway and the UK, 4^th Fairness at Work Conference, University of Manchester, September 10-11

Key recent research outputs include:

Lloyd. C. and Payne, J. (2023) ‘Trade unions, digitalisation and country effects: A comparative study of banking in Norway and the UK’, European Journal of Industrial Relations, online first, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/09596801231188003

Butler, P. and Payne, J. (2023) ‘Employer engagement with third-sector activation programmes for vulnerable groups: interrogating logics and roles’, Journal of Social Policy, first view, 1-19, https://doi.org/10.1017/S0047279423000211

Payne, J., Lloyd, C. and Jose. S.P. (2023) ‘“They tell us after they’ve decided things”: a cross-country analysis of unions and digitalisation in retail’, Industrial Relations Journal 54(1): 3-19

Lloyd, C. and Payne, J. (2022) ‘Digital skills in context: Working with robots in lower-skilled jobs’, Economic and Industrial Democracy, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0143831X221111416?casa_token=x8eCIqTWFzAAAAAA%3Aw1c34hV8oD8VdIKsskhmpuNhCevphQb4lbopU2NLoBLhYIU9lOqqvHsPvIsNzvuvuNFF2m41JQ

Payne, J. and Butler, P. (2022) ‘Of charities and choice: Researching the choices of the long-term unemployed on third-sector employability programmes’, Human Relations (online first). https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/00187267221105854

Lloyd, C. and Payne, J. (2021) ‘Food for thought: Robots, jobs and skills in food and drink processing in Norway and the UK’, New Technology, Work and Employment, 28(2): 272-290

Lloyd, C. and Payne, J. (2021) ‘Fewer jobs, better jobs? An international comparative study of robots and ‘routine’ work in the public sector’, Industrial Relations Journal, 52: 109-124.

Lloyd, C. and Payne, J. (2019) ‘Rethinking country effects: robots, AI and work futures in Norway and the UK, New Technology, Work and Employment, 34(3): 208-225.

Payne, J. (2018) ‘LE(a)P in the dark? Devolution, local skills strategies and inclusive growth in England’, Journal of Education and Work, 31(5-6): 489-502.

Lloyd, C. and Payne, J. (2016) Skills in the Age of Over-Qualification: Comparing Service Sector Work in Europe, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

• Since 2017, I have actively engaged with trade unions in Norway and UK, using my research to inform their approaches to dealing with the challenges presented by digital automation. Participating unions have included Unite, Accord, UNISON and USDAW in the UK, and LO, HK, NNN, Finansforbundet and Fagforbundet in Norway. In January 2023, I organised an online workshop that brought together trade unionists from Norway and the UK to discuss approaches to dealing with digitalisation. In May 2023, I gave a presentation at an event hosted by LO, which was 'live streamed' to union reps across Norway.
• Between 2019-2023, I have advised local third-sector organisations running employability projects for the vulnerable, long-term unemployed.
• In September 2020, I gave advice to members of a team within the Department of Education (DfE) working on the forthcoming Further Education white paper interested in the role of FE in supporting employer demand for, and use of, skills.
• In November 2018, I presented research on the impact of robotics in the food and drink processing sector to the Norwegian food workers’ union (NNN) annual conference in Oslo.
• In June 2018, I presented research on the impact of robotics/AI on work and employment in the UK and Norway to a roundtable audience including the social partners in Norway.
• In June 2017, I was invited to a roundtable discussion with the Chief Secretary of the Treasury and Economic Advisors on ‘The future of occupational regulation and its impact on the UK labour market’, to draw on my expertise in this area.
• In July 2016, I was an expert advisor and reviewer for the Government Office for Science Foresight Team’s Review of skills and lifelong learning in Britain.
• Provided feedback to the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research on apprenticeships in Norway and the UK (1999 and 2002).

• Feedback on the Finnish Workplace Development Programme used to inform discussions within the Finnish Ministry of Labour (2003).
• Unpublished report on Recognition of Non-Formal and Informal Learning in Norway used as a basis for an overarching OECD report on RNIFL.
• Discussions with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on the 2009 skills strategy, Skills for Growth.
• Advice to key Scottish policy makers/stakeholders on skills utilisation policy in Scotland through the running of a high-level ministerial policy seminar (2011),
• Advice to the Scottish Funding Council and the Skills Committee on the future development of its programme of skills utilisation projects (2011).

• PhD Student (part-time) Steve Baguley, The use of second-generation mindfulness interventions in coaching in the workplace, (first supervisor)
• PhD Student (part-time) Heather Powell, Tackling labour exploitation in Leicester's garment industry, (second supervisor).
• PhD Student (part-time) Fatima Malik, Trade union and worker voice in digital automation in high-skill sectors, (second supervisor)

'Levelling Up through Changing Working Patterns and High Skilled Labour Mobility?', ESRC Levelling-Up sandpit grant, Co-Investigator, June 1, 2024- March 31, 2025, award: £239,117.

'Insecure lives and the policy disconnect: How multiple insecurities affect Levelling Up and what joined-up policy can do to help', ESRC Levelling-Up sandpit grant, Co-Investigator, June 1, 2024-March 31, 2025, award: £ £293,710.  

 'Digital technologies and job quality: do trade unions make a difference?', Leverhulme Research Grant, 2020-2023, principal investigator with Caroline Lloyd (Cardiff University), award: £160,633.

'Days of Future Past? The impact of robots on work in the UK and Norway', British Academy small grant, 2017-2019, co-investigator with Caroline Lloyd (Cardiff University), award: £9,640.

"Co-designing pathways to decent work? A case study of two third sector projects in England working with the long-term unemployed, economically inactive and young people who are NEET", Business and Law Research Fund, November 2020-April 2021, co-investigator with Dr. Peter Butler.

 

I am an editorial board member of the British Journal of the Sociology of Education and a regular reviewer for the Industrial Relations Journal. In addition, I review submitted papers to a wide range of key journals including New Technology, Work and Employment, Human Relations, and the Journal of Education and Work.

 

Third-sector employability projects

I have recently been working with third-sector organisations in the Midlands leading employability support for vulnerable, long-term unemployed persons (with Dr Peter Butler, DMU). This research project led to an 18,000 word report for our project partner, and has had demonstrable impact on the approaches taken by the organisations concerned as noted in the following feedback from the partner:

"The research made us reflect on our approach and helped us to better articulate our offer and how we could position the project on the employability landscape. Most importantly the research gave us confidence to express that ‘soft outcomes’ are just as important as ‘hard results’ (participants into jobs for example) – something we had been hesitant and nervous about. The benefits of the independent findings put [our projects] on the academic landscape and strengthened our engagement with funders in the last phase of the programme. As such, it was referred to in funding bids,...evaluation events and quarterly monitoring reports.... It is hoped that your research will be as valuable to other third-sector organisation working with unemployed/economically inactive vulnerable persons as it was for us."

We are currently exploring ways of broadening the 'reach' of this impact by sharing our reseach findings with networks supporting third-sector organisations in the employability space.

Trade unions and digital automation

My research with trade unions in Norway and the UK culminated in three sector reports and a short project brief for policymakers which can be found at: https://udig.powi.dmu.ac.uk/ . This research has benefitted participating unions as demonstrated by the following feedback:

The research work has animated discussions within the food and agriculture sector and provided a focus for future work. (Unite)

We are impressed with your thorough report and it is highly relevant for our work…Your research about digitalization will be of great use to us…Your questions for reflection have already started a process for improving our efforts in the area of digitalization and worker involvement... We are looking forward to working with you in the future. (Fagforbundet)

It has been an interesting and rewarding process, both in terms of reading the responses from our own union-representatives, and in terms of comparison with our colleagues from the UK. (Finansforbundet)

The research project has been very useful, both because it let us know about how digital transition is affecting retail workers…[and] have helped us reflect on some of the challenges we face and how we might begin to address these. (HK)

We will look to take these findings forward when we continue our strategic work with digitalisation…We hope to continue working with the researchers in the future. (NNN)

The comparisons of approaches has given us some good food for thought and will help us to build strategies for future waves of digitisation which continue at pace. (Accord)

…it is a brilliant piece of research…Particularly the comparisons between us and the Norwegian union were really interesting… your research will help us to make the argument that the introduction of new technologies in the NHS must start with the involvement of the workers who use them. (UNISON)