I would not have known that October 7, 2008 was declared World Day for Decent Work by Unions around the globe if I had not read A Foolish Race to the Bottom (FT, October 6) by Stefan Stern.
What defines 'decent work' he asks?
Good pay, the right environment, safety, you name it.
Stefan Stern mentions ‘Good Work’: Job Quality in a Changing Economy (Work Foundation, September 2008) a study by David Coats and Rohit Lehki which offers a different perspective.
To describe it in a sentence, the report "argues good jobs involve stimulating, challenging and varied work, good relationships with colleagues and employers, along with opportunities for progression and development. Other important factors include employment security, a guarantee that workers will be treated fairly by their employers, control for employees over their work and a proper balance between the effort that workers make and the rewards that they receive".
In the current wobbly economy, will we be thinking more of quantity rather than quality as far as work is concerned?
Work in a Consumed to Thrifty world.
Related: Don't Stay at Jobs that Suck: Advice from a Gen Yer
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