What is ‘decent work’ and why does it matter?

Given the significant rise of working households experiencing poverty, the performance of the labour market can no longer be adequately represented merely by counting the number of people in work. Working with the UWS-Oxfam Partnership and Warwick Institute for Employment Research to research the views of those with experience of low paid work, I have learned that whilst job numbers and payment of the living wage are of course important, they are not the only concerns when considering the state of the labour market in Scotland. Since October last year we have held 30 focus groups, 18 individual interviews, 11 street stalls and a YouGov poll, engaging with 1,530 people across Scotland.  Participants were deliberately recruited from low-paid sectors such as social care, hospitality and cleaning, and we also particularly sought the views of demographic groups facing additional barriers in the workplace.  This included young people, disabled people, black and ethnic minority communities and lone parents. Initial findings identified five key factors chosen by our participants, none of which seem unreasonable or extravagant to me, yet our research suggests that all too often even these basic expectations are not being met.

It is worrying that the focus of policy makers is too often on increasing the number of people in employment rather than the quality of employment

Participants were asked: “What makes for decent work?” A total of 26 different factors (which are detailed in the initial report) were identified. The top five, from the focus groups, were:

1. A decent hourly rate
2. Job security
3. Paid holidays and paid sick leave
4. A safe working environment
5. A supportive line manager

During the research it became clear that for many of the participants these priorities were not being met. I admit this surprised me as I had naively thought they were already common practice in workplaces across Scotland. Given this isn’t always the case, it is worrying that the focus of policy makers is too often on increasing the number of people in employment rather than the quality of employment. Decent work is crucial to people’s lives. It is vital that not just politicians but all those with influence over the quality of work in Scotland – such as employers, trade unions, industry bodies, procurement professionals and others – engage in the debate and play their part to improve the lives of low-paid workers in Scotland today. Our final report will be published in September, so there is still time for you to contribute to the debate and tell us what you think by taking part in our survey.