Work Quality in Northern Ireland: Additional Indicators
Work Quality in Northern Ireland: Additional Indicators
1. Overview
The latest Work Quality in Northern Ireland paper published in March 2025 contained analysis of eleven work quality indicators: earnings, secure employment, under/over employment, job satisfaction, meaningful work, career progression, employee involvement in decision-making, bullying/harassment, under/over skilled, line manager support, and flexible working.
This bulletin follows on from that paper and provides analysis of six additional work quality indicators:
- No accidents at work
- Underemployment
- Trade Union membership
- Participation in training
- Overtime (paid and unpaid)
- Non zero-hours contract
Analysis is based on employees aged 18 years or over in Northern Ireland (NI) for the period 2020 to 2024 using data collected from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE). Supplementary tables also contain additional breakdowns by age, deprivation quintile (most and least deprived), skill level, and sex.
1.1 Key points
- The overtime indicator was the only indicator to see a significant change between 2020 and 2024. The proportion of employees who reported having worked overtime (paid or unpaid) has seen a decrease of 8 percentage points (pps) to 21% in 2024 (29% in 2020).
- For the remaining indicators the results have been consistent across the time series, with no real change since 2020.
- Over the last year, there has been no real change in any indicator.
- Nearly all employees reported that they had not had an accident at
work and were not underemployed, with nearly 9 out of 10 employees not
having a zero-hours contract.
- By sex, there were no significant differences between male and females for any indicator.
- By age, a significantly higher proportion of employees aged 40 and over reported trade union membership and not having a zero-hours contract in comparison to those aged between 18 and 39.
- The largest differences across the cohorts were seen across skill
levels, with significant differences in four of the six indicators.
Employees in high skilled jobs reported a higher proportion of trade
union membership, participation in training and not having a zero-hours
contract.
- However, employees in high skilled jobs were more likely to report working overtime.
- By deprivation areas, there was a difference in only one of the six indicators, with a notably larger proportion of employees living in the least deprived areas reporting that they did not have a zero-hours contract.
1.2 Context
New Decade, New Approach recognised that “good jobs, where workers have a voice that provides a level of autonomy, a decent income, security of tenure, satisfying work in the right quantities and decent working conditions, should be integral to public policy”.
In 2024 the Department for the Economy (DfE) adopted the Carnegie Framework - Measuring Good Work as a broader measure of work quality while focusing on a subset of indicators Good Jobs in Northern Ireland to track progress against the Good Jobs agenda.
This framework identifies seven dimensions of job quality of which the work quality measures included in this report fall under:
Terms of employment:
- Non zero-hours contract
- Underemployment
Health, safety and psychosocial wellbeing:
- No accidents at work
Job design and nature of work:
- Training done in last 13 weeks
Voice and representation:
- Trade union membership
Work-life balance:
- Usual hours of paid and unpaid overtime
1.3 Definitions
Table 1: Definitions of Work Quality Indicators
| Indicators | Definitions |
|---|---|
| Non zero-hours contract | Persons in employment who are not on a zero-hours contract |
| Underemployment | Those people in employment who would like to work more hours, either by working in an additional job, by working more hours in their current job, or by switching to a replacement job |
| No accidents at work | Persons in employment who have not reported having an accident resulting in injury at work or in the course of their work in the last twelve months |
| Participation in training | Employees who have taken part in any education or any training connected with their job or a job that they might be able to do in the future, in the last 13 weeks |
| Trade union membership | Persons in employment who reported being a member of a trade union or staff association |
| Overtime (paid and unpaid) | Persons in employment who have reported doing any work regarded as paid or unpaid overtime |
1.4 Overview of Indicators
1.5 Commentary
The latest Work Quality in Northern Ireland paper published in March 2025 contained analysis of eleven work quality indicators. This bulletin adds to the suite of work quality indicators by analysing an additional six indicators: accidents at work, underemployment, trade union membership, participation in training, overtime and zero hours contract.
Of the six indicators, only one has seen a significant change between 2020 and 2024. This was the proportion of employees reporting that they have worked overtime (paid or unpaid); where there has been a decrease of 8 percentage points (pps) to 21% in 2024 (29% in 2020). Fewer employees doing overtime would be classed as a positive change.
Three indicators have remained consistently positive throughout the time series with nearly all employees reporting that they had not had an accident at work and were not underemployed, and nearly 9 out of 10 employees not having a zero-hours contract.
The remaining two indicators had the least positive outcome throughout the time series.
For the most recent period, 2024, just over one fifth of NI employees reported that they had participated in training in the last 13 weeks (21%). This was followed by trade union membership with just over a third of employees being a member of a trade union (34%).
The zero-hours contract indicator saw the most variability across the cohorts, with significant differences across age, skill level and deprivation area. Employees aged between 18 and 39, employees in low-skilled jobs or in the most deprived areas were most likely to be on zero hours contracts.
Trade union membership was higher for employees aged 40 and over and for those in a high skilled job regardless of age.
Employees in high skilled jobs were more likely to have worked overtime (26%) than employees in low skilled jobs (16%).
2. Work Quality in NI
2.1 NI
Key Findings
- Only one of the six indicators has seen a significant change since 2020. This was the proportion of employees who reported having worked overtime (paid or unpaid); which has seen a decrease of 8 percentage points.
- The most recent data shows that the least achievable indicator was participation in training (21%).
2.2 Sex
Key Findings
- There were no significant differences between male and females for any indicator.
- Although not statistically significant, the largest variation between females and males was in those who reported being a member of a trade union (5pps).
Figure 2: The majority of both males and females reported that they did not have a zero-hours contract
Work Quality indicators by sex, employees aged 18 and over, NI, 2024
Chart
Table
| Indicator | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| No accident at work | 98.4 | 99.1 |
| Not a zero-hours contract | 91.2 | 87.7 |
| Trade union membership | 31.7 | 36.8 |
| Participation in training | 19.3 | 23.1 |
| Overtime | 22.8 | 19.4 |
| Underemployed | 3.7 | 4.4 |
A comparison of the work quality indicators by sex shows that for all indicators there were no significant differences.
The largest difference, although not statistically different, between females and males was in those who reported being a member of a trade union with 37% of females reporting that they were in a trade union compared to 32% of males.
2.3 Age
Key Findings
- Significantly more employees aged 40 and over reported more positive outcomes than employees aged 18 to 39 for two of the six indicators.
- A significantly higher proportion of employees aged 40 and over reported that they were were members of a trade union (38% compared with 29% of those aged 18 and 39).
Figure 3: Employees aged 40 and over reported significantly more positive outcomes in two indicators
Work Quality indicators by age band, employees aged 18 and over, NI, 2024
Chart
Table
| Indicator | 18 to 39 | 40 and over |
|---|---|---|
| No accident at work | 98.3 | 99.2 |
| Not a zero-hours contract | 86.3 | 92.0 |
| Trade union membership | 29.4 | 38.5 |
| Participation in training | 22.1 | 20.5 |
| Overtime | 19.7 | 22.4 |
| Underemployed | 5.1 | 3.2 |
Figure 3 presents the work quality indicators by age bands. It shows significantly higher proportions for employees aged 40 and over than for employees aged 18 to 39 in two of the six indicators: trade union membership and not having a zero-hours contract.
The largest difference between the two age bands in 2024 was seen in trade union membership (9pps), with 29% for those aged 18 to 39 reporting that they were a member of a trade union compared to 38% for those aged 40 and over.
Employees aged 40 and over were more likely to not be on a zero-hours contract (92%) than those employees aged 18 to 39 (86%).
Over the last five years, overtime is the only indicator that has seen a significant decrease for both employees aged 18 to 39 and aged 40 and over, with a drop of 9pps for employees aged 18 to 39 and a drop of 8pps for those aged 40 and over.
2.4 Deprivation (Most and Least Deprived)
Key Findings
- Only one of the six indicators showed significant differences between employees who lived in the least and most deprived areas.
- A notably larger proportion of employees living in the least deprived areas reported not having a zero-hours contract, the largest difference of all the indicators (6pps).
Figure 4: A higher proportion of employees living in the least deprived areas did not have a zero-hours contract
Work Quality indicators by deprivation quintile (most and least), employees aged 18 and over, NI,2024
Chart
Table
| Indicator | Most | Least |
|---|---|---|
| No accident at work | 97.6 | 99.3 |
| Not a zero-hours contract | 85.4 | 91.1 |
| Trade union membership | 38.8 | 35.4 |
| Participation in training | 18.8 | 23.6 |
| Overtime | 24.0 | 21.9 |
| Underemployed | 7.3 | 7.3 |
Figure 4 shows that in 2024, there was a significant difference between employees living in the least and most deprived areas in only one indicator: not having a zero-hours contract.
Just over nine in ten employees (91%) reported not having a zero-hours contract in the least deprived areas compared to 85% in the most deprived areas.
Although not statistically significant, almost one quarter (24%) reported having participated in training in least deprived areas compared to 19% in the most deprived areas. 3% of employees reported being underemployed in the least deprived areas compared to 7% in the most deprived areas.
2.5 High and Low Skilled jobs
Key Findings
- Employees in high skilled jobs reported significantly higher proportions than employees in low skilled jobs in four of the six indicators.
- The largest difference between high and low skilled employees was in trade union membership.
Figure 5: Nearly all employed in high skilled jobs are not on a zero-hours contract
Work Quality indicators by skill level, employees aged 18 and over, NI, 2024
Chart
Table
| Indicator | Low skilled | High skill |
|---|---|---|
| No accident at work | 98.6 | 98.9 |
| Not a zero-hours contract | 84.5 | 93.4 |
| Trade union membership | 29.5 | 39.2 |
| Participation in training | 17.9 | 24.2 |
| Overtime | 16.4 | 25.6 |
| Underemployed | 6.0 | 2.3 |
Employees in high skilled jobs reported significantly more positive outcomes than employees in low skilled jobs in three of the six indicators: trade union membership, participation in training, and not having a zero-hours contract.
The largest difference between the two groups was in the proportion of employees who were members of a trade union. A significantly higher proportion of employees in high skilled jobs reported being a member of a trade union (39%) when compared to employees in low skilled jobs (29%).
The second largest difference in 2024 was in those employees who worked overtime. This was a less positive outcome for high skilled jobs. A significantly larger proportion of employees in high skilled jobs reported having worked overtime (26%) than employees in low skilled jobs (16%). However, the proportion of employees working overtime in both high and low skilled jobs has decreased significantly between 2020 and 2024; a decrease of 11pps in high skilled jobs and a decrease of 6pps in low skilled jobs.
3. Further Information
3.1. Background
The dataset used for LFS data in this publication is the annual dataset from July 2023 to June 2024. LFS annual datasets are derived from four consecutive quarters of the LFS. Individuals in each wave are interviewed in five successive quarters, such that in any quarter one wave will be receiving their first interview, one wave their second, and so on, with one receiving their fifth and final interview.
The annual dataset is created by selecting the relevant cases from each quarter and combining them to create a dataset of unique cases. Selecting all wave one and five interviews allows the maximum number of respondents over a one-year period to be included whilst avoiding double counting. The resulting sample size of the 23/24 dataset is approximately 11,000 individuals.
The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) is a UK wide survey that provides a wide range of information on earnings and hours worked. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) carries out ASHE in Great Britain and it is carried out by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) in NI.
The survey information related to the pay-week (or other pay period if the employee was paid less frequently) which included 17th April 2024, the reference date for the latest survey. The results, therefore, are not necessarily representative of pay over a longer period. They do not take account of subsequent changes in rates of pay which have become effective since April or changes which have been introduced with retrospective effect since the survey returns were completed.
The survey reference date (17th April 2024) was outside the time period for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) grant; therefore 2023 earnings were not affected by furlough. Over the pandemic period, earnings estimates were affected by changes in the composition of the workforce and the impact of the CJRS, making interpretation difficult. In particular, the 2020 and 2021 data are subject to more uncertainty and should be treated with caution.
3.2 LFS revisions due to reweighting
LFS microdata are routinely revised to incorporate the latest population estimates. The population totals used for the latest LFS estimates use projected growth rates from RTI data for UK, EU and non-EU populations based on 2021 patterns. The total population used for the LFS therefore does not take into account any changes in migration, birth rates, death rates etc. since June 2021 and hence levels estimates may be under- or over-estimating the true values and should be used with caution. Estimates of rates will, however, be robust.
In December 2024, the LFS estimates were reweighted from January-March 2019 to July to September 2024 using updated PAYE Real-Time Information data and with the introduction of the non-response bias adjustment to NI data. An overview of the impact of reweighting on the NI estimates of unemployment, employment, and economic inactivity is available on the NISRA website. This webpage also contains the detail on two previous LFS reweightings since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, in October 2020, July 2021 and June 2022.
3.3 Precision of estimates
The LFS is a sample survey and, as such, estimates obtained from it are subject to sampling variability. If we drew many samples each would give a different result. Estimates under a cell count of 3 are disclosive and therefore suppressed. In tables, estimates based on a small sample size are shaded. Small samples may result in less precise estimates, which should be used with caution, in particular should not be used to make statements on relative size when compared to similar values. Unshaded estimates are based on a larger sample size. This is likely to result in estimates of higher precision, although they will still be subject to some sampling variability. The sample used for ASHE survey included approximately 1% of all employees in NI and who were covered by Pay As Your Earn (PAYE) schemes.
3.4 Reporting differences
Reported difference is calculated using unrounded data and presented to the nearest whole number. When a difference is less than 0.5pps, it is rounded to 0pps and the data is reported as unchanged.
3.5 Work quality questions on the LFS
Work quality questions continue to be reviewed, developed and added to the Labour Force Survey (LFS).
3.6 Sampling variability
The Labour Force Survey is a sample survey. It provides estimates of population values. If we drew many samples each would give a different result. The ranges shown for the data in the table below represent 95% confidence intervals. We would expect that in 95% of samples the range would contain the true value.
Table 2: Sampling variability of work quality estimates, NI, ages 18 and over, 2024
| Indicators | Estimate (%) | Lower Limit (%) | Upper Limit (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| No accidents at work | 98.8 | 98.3 | 99.2 |
| Zero-hours contract | 89.4 | 88.5 | 90.2 |
| Trade union membership | 34.3 | 32.1 | 36.5 |
| Participation in training | 21.2 | 19.8 | 22.6 |
| Overtime (paid and unpaid) | 21.1 | 19.8 | 22.4 |
| Underemployment | 4.1 | 3.4 | 4.7 |
Further information on estimating and reporting uncertainty can be found on the LFS background information on the NISRA website.
3.7 Definitions
Employment
The definition of ILO employed applies to anyone (aged 16 to 64) who has carried out at least one hour’s paid work in the week prior to interview, or has a job they are temporarily away from (e.g. on holiday). Also included are people who do unpaid work in a family business and people on Government-supported employment training schemes.
Employee
Employees are those who are in employment and paid a wage by an employer for the work that they do; this category may be further sub-divided into permanent and temporary employees. The ‘Total Employees’ figure that is used as the denominator is the total employees who answered the question and should not be used as an estimate of total employees in itself. Estimates of employment and employees are available in the monthly Labour Market Report, which can be found on the Labour Force Survey section of the NISRA website. Employment status on the LFS is self-reported, with individuals classifying themselves as either an employee or self-employed.
Non-zero hours contract
Persons in employment who are not on a zero-hours contract.
Underemployed
Underemployed workers are those people in employment who would like to work more hours, either by working in an additional job, by working more hours in their current job, or by switching to a replacement job. They must also be available to start working longer hours within two weeks and their current weekly hours must be below 40 hours if they are between 16 and 18 and below 48 hours if they are over 18.
Accidents at work
Persons in employment who have not reported having an accident resulting in injury at work or in the course of their work in the last twelve months.
Participation in training
Employees who have taken part in any education or any training connected with their job or a job that they might be able to do in the future, in the last 13 weeks.
Trade Union membership
Persons in employment who reported being a member of a trade union or staff association.
Overtime
Persons in employment who have reported doing any work regarded as paid or unpaid overtime
4. Contact
If you require further information about the figures contained in this publication or the accompanying tables, would like to provide feedback on the publication content, or be added to the mailing list please contact:
Email: Patrick.OKane@nisra.gov.uk
Web: Work
Quality
5. Official Statistics in Development
Official statistics in development (previously called Experimental Statistics) are official statistics that are undergoing a development, and may be new or existing official statistics. They are published to involve users and stakeholders in their development and as a means to ensure they will meet user needs going forward. As these statistics are still in development, they are subject to retrospective revision in any future releases. The methodology and quality assurance are still in development and are subject to change.
These official statistics are produced in compliance with the Code of Practice for Statistics. Our Statistical Protocols and Compliance webpage provides further details of how we apply the principles and practices of the Code in the production and publication of our official statistics.
The analysis for the Work Quality in Northern Ireland Additional Indicators 2024 has been sourced from the Labour Force Survey(LFS) and the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE); both of which are accredited official statistics. This is the first release of the Work Quality in Northern Ireland Additional Indicators and whilst they reflect the same standards of trustworthiness, quality and value of all other statistical releases they are still under development.
Feedback on these statistics is particularly welcome from users and will be used to further develop the statistics. Feedback can be provided by email to Labourmarketstatistics@nisra.gov.uk.
Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR). OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to. You are welcome to contact us directly with any comments about how we meet these standards. Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing regulation@statistics.gov.uk or via the OSR website.