This report by the RSA discusses the rise of atypical work in Britain, highlighting there are now nearly a million people on zero-hour contracts and 1.7 million in temporary work; a record 4.8 million are in self-employment, while there are an estimated 1.1 million people in Britain's gig economy. It explains that the rise in atypical work has been followed by fears that the labour market is fragmenting into low paying, poorly protected jobs. The report considers the different dimensions of good work in the context of atypical work, and explores insights from a survey exploring workers' experiences of economic security. The research finds that for a third of workers, the degree of confidence they have in maintaining a decent quality of life is low and for a significant minority, their insecurity is extreme. In addition to experienced insecurity, it also highlights a hidden insecurity; for example, some workers are in steady jobs, but have little to no savings and wouldn't be able to tide themselves over in the event of a financial shock. 

The report highlights that while there is enthusiasm for good work among businesses, trade unions and government, there are still great challenges ahead. It considers whether traditional 'objective' measures of security, such as contract type or employment status are sufficient or reflect the scale of these challenges and offers a wider lens to our understanding the modern experience of work and how we can improve it.