The UK’s first Good Work Standard was launched in July 2019 by Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, to allow businesses in London to be accredited as a good employer.
The voluntary and free benchmarking scheme enables participating businesses to measure themselves against a set of criteria including fair pay, working conditions, employee wellbeing, the availability of skills training, progression and diversity in recruitment.
Organisations that meet the Good Work Standard are officially recognised as a good employer by the Mayor’s office, are able to display the Good Work Standard in recruitment and marketing materials and demonstrate social value when bidding for new business.
The Good Work Standard fulfils Sadiq Khan’s manifesto commitment to try and make London the best place in the world to live and work and was developed in partnership with the CIPD. It provides a blueprint for good employment practices, with supporting resources and guidance written by CIPD experts. Tested with CIPD members from the CIPD London region, the framework aims to support employers of all sizes across the city to improve their people management practices and create good work for all.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: ‘The Good Work Standard will play a key role in tackling poverty and inequality in London. I’m calling on employers across our city to play their part – to pay the London Living Wage, to pursue greater diversity at senior levels, to achieve the highest standards in wellbeing and training, and to ensure that their workers have a voice in the workplace.
‘Employers will make these changes because they want to do the right thing, but also because they will see great benefit in terms of recruitment and productivity. City Hall will now do everything possible to ensure that many more employers – in every sector and of every size – sign up to the Good Work Standard.’
Peter Cheese, chief executive of the CIPD, said the Good Work Standard would provide a roadmap for businesses of all sizes to create a good working environment.
‘We’re delighted to have worked with the Mayor and his team in developing the Good Work Standard. Work can and should be a force for good, and the standard helps define the critical attributes of what makes good work and jobs. Employers should always be looking at ways in which they can improve job quality and how they support their people as part of their duty of care to the workforce, but it also makes good business sense.
‘Now more than ever we need to make our organisations great places to work, to engage our people, help develop their skills, support their wellbeing and build the inclusive workplaces that are good for everyone. These are the drivers of sustainable and responsible businesses, as well as a stronger economy and society for the future. We look forward to continuing to further this agenda and doing our part in supporting organisations in improving the quality of jobs in the capital.
‘We are in extraordinary times, with political change, economic uncertainty, social change, technological change, and this is a time for business to step up. It’s a time for business to show what we can do as responsible organisations in creating the right opportunities for all the people in our societies.’
A central theme of the Good Work Standard is people and how to effectively manage them. Many businesses don’t always have the time or resources to focus on HR and people issues; they need to help their people get the most out of work. The CIPD has created the People Skills Hub, a free service with small businesses in mind. The hub offers resources, guidance and information on the essentials to help businesses improve their people management skills and strategy and to get the ‘people’ aspect of their business right.
The Good Work Standard – the first of its kind – was touted as a potential template for other metropolitan or local authorities. The framework was developed in partnership with the CIPD, combining experts on the world of work with an in-depth knowledge of London. The criteria of the Good Work Standard follow four guiding principles:
- Fair pay and conditions
- Workplace wellbeing
- Skills and progression
- Diversity and recruitment
Below you can access resources from the CIPD and the Greater London Authority to help you understand and meet the Good Work Standard under each of the four pillars.
CIPD Resources
Influencing policy
Our public policy team champions better work and working lives by shaping public debate, government policy and legislation.
The Standard brings together best employment practice and links to resources and support from across London to help employers improve their organisations. The initiative has been developed in collaboration with London's employers, professional bodies and experts. It sets the benchmark the Mayor wants every London employer to work towards and achieve. Organisations able to meet the Good Work Standard criteria can apply for accreditation and recognition as leading employers from the Mayor.
Our Manifesto for Work sets out proposals to improve corporate governance, boost skills investment and to create more diverse and inclusive workplaces that support people's well-being, development and productivity. It forms the basis of the work we’ll do to inform – and influence – the Government's agenda on issues relating to skills, employment and the workplace. The goal? To ensure a future of work that benefits people, businesses, the economy and society.
As well as our own research, there is endless evidence showing that good people management skills are key to improving job quality and business growth. We want to help improve people skills, so that work benefits everyone.