Strand Leader: Ms. Debbie Collins , National Centre for Social Research
This strand aims to address the three key challenges identified by the ESRC-funded SDC-net meeting on the changing role of face-to-face social survey fieldworkers in the UK:
• improve our understanding of the ways in which the role of the face-to-face fieldworker is changing in response to societal, commercial, technological and methodological trends;
• identify the key skills and attributes needed by the face-to-face fieldworker today and how this is likely to change in the future;
• identify the implications for sourcing and retaining skilled face-to-face fieldworkers. An independent HR specialist will consult key stakeholders from ONS, NatCen, Ipsos and Kantar Public to scope the study and agree what knowledge can be collected and shared with whom and for what purposes. In addition to these four organisations, the HR specialist will consult other smaller/specialised survey data providers that have a face-to-face field force. Information will be collected using confidential group interviews with each organisation, and two round table discussions with all organisations. The outputs will include two specifications of the face-to-face interviewer role now and in the future (a total of 4), a paper discussing implications for the sourcing and retention of face-to-face interviewers, and recommendations on next steps. This will be followed by an online cross-community event (including survey commissioners) to share and discuss the findings and recommendations.