A majority of employers support the Labour government’s plans for stronger workers’ rights, according to a new poll.

Contrary to headlines of employers fearing the impact of additional rights, employers said that improving the terms and conditions of their employees created a more productive culture that helped their company succeed.

Two-thirds (68%) of senior decision makers and middle managers, including a similar number of small businesses (61%), said employees’ rights should be strengthened, according to the survey conducted by Opinium for the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), the TUC and Persuasion UK

There was a general understanding of Labour’s ‘new deal for working people’ among 69% of those surveyed.

It found that an overwhelming majority (75%) support the measures, including nearly seven in 10 (69%) of small businesses. Only 17% of employers oppose the policies.

The polling also found that support among employers for stronger employment rights increased once they were told about the full detail of the government’s proposals.   

Most employers strongly or somewhat support (73%) giving employees protection from unfair dismissal from the first day of employment, known as ‘day one rights’, compared to just 13% who opposed the measure. A majority (74%) support giving employees access to sick pay from day one compared to 12% who oppose the idea.    

Paul Nowak, general secretary at TUC, said:  “There is a big disconnect between some of the more siren voices in the business community and the reality on the ground.  

“This polling shows there is large-scale support for boosting workers’ rights among company managers and decision-makers.  

“They are the ones talking to their staff members every day. And they know their workforces do a better job when they are happy and more secure at work.  

“Driving up employment standards is in everybody’s interest and will stop good employers from being undercut by the bad.  

“The UK’s long experiment with a low-rights, low-wage economy has been terrible for growth, productivity and living standards. It’s time to turn the page and bring UK worker protections in line with the mainstream across other developed economies.”  

Dr George Dibb, associate director for economic policy at IPPR, said:  “We know that having a happy, healthy, motivated, and productive workforce is good for employees but it’s also fundamental for the bottom line of a business. This polling shows employers, large and small, recognise this, and overwhelmingly support stronger rights for their workers.   

“Most employers believe that the government’s employment rights policies will have a positive effect on productivity and investment, as well as on the profitability of their business.   

“The UK economy must break out of the low-productivity, low-investment trap that we’re currently in and stronger baseline of workers’ rights is an essential part.”   

Steve Akehurst, director of Persuasion UK, said: “You could be forgiven for thinking that increasing workplace protections was a divisive issue. But this is an area of real consensus. 

“Enhancing workers’ rights is one of the government’s most popular policy agendas. Voters across the political spectrum support the plans as do businesses large and small.” 

Survey findings:

• Job security: Six in 10 (60%) said that employees should have more security at work, compared to just 3 per cent who think they should have less.  
• Workforce health: Seven in 10 (75%) think that strengthened employment rights will improve employee health, compared to just 4% who disagree. 
• Retention: Seven in 10 (74%) believe that strengthening employment rights will improve workforce retention, compared to just 6% who do not.  
• Productivity: Seven in 10 (73%) say strengthened employment rights will boost productivity, compared to just 7% who disagree.  
• Profitability: Six in 10 (61%) think stronger employment rights will have a positive impact on business profitability, compared to fewer than two in 10 (17%) who disagree.