We believe that our economy should work better for everyone. We can progress toward a more inclusive and equitable future through businesses, workers, investors, government, and others working together to create the good jobs that enable workers to thrive, companies to be productive and profitable, and communities to benefit from healthy, sustainable economies.
Over the next year, we the Job Quality Fellows will advance a compelling narrative on this issue and offer examples of practical actions that advance job quality and yield tangible results. We must begin, however, with a shared definition of a quality job. A quality job means one’s work is valued and respected and meaningfully contributes to the goals of the organization. It encompasses having a voice in one’s workplace and the opportunity to shape one’s work life, as well as having accessible opportunities to learn and grow. Quality work affords an individual the opportunity to save, to build the security and confidence that allows one to plan for the future, and to participate in the life of and see oneself as a valued member of a community. In practical terms, a quality job offers:
- Wages sufficient to cover basic living expenses, a stable/predictable income, and opportunities to build wealth/assets;
- Working conditions that are safe, free from discrimination and harassment, and welcoming of workers’ concerns and ideas for improvement;
- Stable/predictable work hours; and
- A package of benefits that facilitate a healthy, stable life. Typically, these benefits include health insurance, paid sick and vacation time, family/medical leave, an adequate retirement savings plan, disability insurance, and life insurance.
We recognize, given this range of characteristics, that job quality is a continuum as much as it is a goal and that there are multiple avenues for improving the quality of a job. Achieving effective progress toward ensuring that far more jobs in our economy are good jobs necessitates improving communications and relationships among a very wide range of stakeholders. Progress will entail strengthening existing roles as well as shouldering new roles by employers, workers, labor organizations, governments, investors, philanthropy, and the public, as consumers and voters. As Job Quality Fellows, we will engage leaders who are inspired to be part of a 21st century Opportunity Economy as well as mobilize actions and policy solutions that can advance our vision of an economy with more quality jobs and an economy that truly works for everyone.
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