Fair Work Action Plan: impact report 2026

4) Conclusion

The Scottish Government and partners continue to make progress in advancing Fair Work practices across Scotland. Fair Work is increasingly embedded within Scottish Government policy and funding approaches, and within businesses. Many employers across Scotland recognise the benefits that Fair Work can bring to their organisations and to their workers.

Over the lifetime of the Fair Work Action Plan, Fair Work has increasingly become part of workplace culture in Scotland: informing good employer practices, shaping government investment, improving service delivery, and supporting better outcomes for workers and businesses.

Fair Work is a key driver for boosting economic growth, reducing poverty, addressing economic inactivity and improving outcomes for workers. The Scottish Government’s 2026-2031 Programme for Government sets out ways in which we will encourage and support good jobs that contribute to business productivity and higher real incomes through improved employer practices, workplace conditions and job availability.

As the evidence base continues to develop, including with publication of the indicator analysis alongside this report, we will continue to work with employers, business representative organisations, equality groups and other partners to identify the most impactful actions, building on what has been achieved so far and what is working well, while adapting to changes in our economy and labour market. This will help shape how we allocate the resources we have to support the next phase of Fair Work policy and delivery in Scotland.