Bringing research, policy and practice together: Yorkshire, Humber and North East Productivity Forum meetings

Throughout the year the Yorkshire, Humber and North East Productivity Forum has continued to bring together voices from business, policy and academia to explore the region’s productivity challenges and the practical steps that can support more inclusive economic growth.

At quarterly meetings this year, Forum members have discussed a wide range of issues, from skills, training and employment practices to SME support, access to finance and regional economic development. The meetings have also provided an opportunity to share emerging research and consider how evidence can inform policy and workplace practice across the region.

Exploring the drivers of regional productivity

The Forum’s January meeting in Leeds, chaired by Sarah Tulip, Forum Chair and Director of And Then Consulting, focused on productivity research being undertaken across the region. Contributions included:

• Bernd Brandl from Durham University Business School discussing how collective bargaining can support productivity when employers, management, trade unions and business organisations coordinate effectively at a sectoral level.
• Dr Ollie Jones from Leeds Beckett University sharing findings from research undertaken with Exemplas and other partners, exploring how access to a dedicated business productivity service can help SMEs improve their performance.
• Professor Gabriella Alberti from Leeds University Business School examining how migrant labour and employer practices across the region have changed since Brexit.
• Fiona Bolam, Chief Officer for Economy and Skills at Leeds City Council, also outlined the council’s Inclusive Growth Strategy and wider economic vision for the city.
• Dr Kate Penney, Research Fellow at The Productivity Institute, concluding the research-focused sessions with an overview of TPI’s work on business innovation and the strategic approaches organisations take to improving productivity.

The meeting also included early discussions about the Forum’s National Productivity Week 2026 event in Sheffield, which later brought together regional stakeholders to examine the effects of AI and digital technologies on skills, jobs and productivity, alongside the importance of inclusive employment practices.

Skills, job design and business finance

At the Forum’s summer meeting in York, attention turned more closely to the relationship between people, workplaces and productivity.

Chaired by Academic Forum Lead Jason Heyes, the meeting included an update from Forum Research Associate Redouane Sarrakh on research into skills and training practices across the region. Other contributions included:

• Research Associate Nadia Azam Firouzi introducing the People Campaign, a national initiative examining how employers can help people at risk of poor employment outcomes, including lower-qualified young workers, enter and remain in work.
• Lydia Wicaksono, Head of Operations at The Productivity Institute, sharing updates on TPI’s latest research and activities, while members reflected on the Forum’s successful National Productivity Week event.
• Forum members Rob Baker and Charlotte Axon from Tailored Thinking exploring how job personalisation can support productivity by strengthening employees’ sense of purpose and wellbeing. Members were able to put these ideas into practice by trying the organisation’s job-crafting cards, which demonstrated how roles can be adapted to better reflect individual strengths, interests and needs.
• Alasdair Barrett discussing the challenges SMEs face when seeking finance and the role of the British Business Bank in supporting businesses across the region. The session highlighted how access to appropriate funding remains important for firms looking to invest, innovate and grow.

Supporting inclusive employment and growth across the region

The Forum returned to Leeds in September for its latest meeting, chaired by Dawn Huntrod, Make UK’s Regional Membership Director for the North.

Forum members received further updates on research into skills and training, as well as the continuing development of the People Campaign. The discussions reinforced the role that employers can play in helping disadvantaged groups to enter, remain in and progress through sustainable and inclusive employment. Some additional contributions included:

• Kate McHugh, Policy Manager at York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, presenting an overview of the area’s productivity landscape, strategic priorities and plans for achieving “growth in every postcode”.
• Emma Campbell, Skills Project Officer, and Minesh Parekh, Fair Work Project Officer at the Trades Union Congress, sharing examples of the TUC’s regional work to improve workplace skills, expand opportunities for upskilling and promote inclusion. They also discussed its involvement in the development of West Yorkshire’s Fair Work Charter.
• Dr Kate Penney providing a further update on The Productivity Institute’s work, connecting the Forum’s regional discussions with TPI’s wider programme of productivity research.

Building a shared understanding of productivity

Together, the meetings have highlighted that improving productivity requires action across several closely connected areas.

The discussions have also demonstrated the importance of understanding the different circumstances within and across the region.

By bringing together various perspectives, the Yorkshire, Humber and North East Productivity Forum continues to build a stronger shared understanding of the region’s challenges and opportunities.