Researchers have called for an international consensus to address not just job “quantity”, but job “quality” by providing “decent work” opportunities to create a thriving labour market in the UK and around the world.  

The researchers, including Dr Xuebing Cao from Keele Business School, have said that workers are on the lookout more than ever for “decent” work, which has distinct characteristics such as promoting work-life balance, giving workers a sense of purpose, and security with guaranteed hours. 

They have published their findings in the journal Policy Studies after identifying major gaps in the availability of “decent work” in the Midlands in particular, which have been exposed and exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. 

As part of the research, led by the University of Birmingham, they interviewed a number of key figures in industry and public life including union officials, employees, and councillors, to gauge their perceptions of how people’s attitudes to work have changed since the Covid pandemic. 

The researchers are now working towards the implementation of a “Midlands Good Work Charter”, working with Acas and Midlands Engine to develop a framework to improve opportunities and access to decent work for people in the Midlands. 

Improving access to decent work is one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, and the researchers are now calling for an agreed approach across the UK and internationally to increase access to decent work for all. 

Dr Xuebing Cao, Senior Lecturer at Keele Business School, said: “We are delighted that our research offers new conceptual clarity in decent work, with important national and international relevance and applicability. We will continue working with key stakeholders of decent work policies within the region and beyond, contributing to an inclusive development through the advancement of the quality of working life for all.”