Jobs began deteriorating starting in the 1970s. Pay had not kept up with inflation nor with productivity, and material benefits such as pensions and time off started to disappear. How many jobs outside of those in government pay a pension anymore? Workers were gradually getting more dissatisfied with their jobs as they saw their pay stagnate or slowly rise while CEOs reaping in large salaries, getting huge bonuses and golden parachutes when they retired. Meanwhile, the workers in the trenches realized their jobs had become a force that sucked the life out of them for them to make a living and get by in an inflated economy.
Then the pandemic came along and a trend towards work started to grow and is continuing to grow even through the pandemic ended two years ago. The trend is workers wanting quality jobs. But what gives a job quality? Surprisingly, it isn’t just how much they get paid (although that is part of it).
What is a Quality Job?
In today’s workplace, workers value a job that offers flexibility, engagement, enjoyment and a manageable workload. When many jobs went to remote work during the pandemic, workers got a taste of these things they value in a job. And since many of them were able to do their jobs remotely and enjoy these freedoms of work, they started pushing back when companies implemented their Return to Office policy.
A quality job isn’t just working 40 hours for decent pay, getting paid for overtime if required, and having healthcare benefits … although these are important. It’s also having job security, a decent work-life balance, career advancement opportunities, a positive work environment and work that is both challenging and meaningful.
Keep in mind that the perception of a quality job can vary from person to person, and individual priorities may influence what aspects are considered most important.
Resurgence of Unions
During the 70s to recently, union memberships were in decline. With the rise in worker dissatisfaction, unions saw an opportunity to turn jobs back into careers. A good example of that is the recent success of the UAW and their push to increase the wages and other benefits for their union members.
Their workers were unhappy with the growing disparity between what they were getting paid and what the top leadership was making per year. They wanted a larger piece of the pie and with solidarity, they ended up getting most of what they wanted. Because it was costing the big three car companies millions of dollars per week in lost revenue, the Big 3 had no choice but to give in to the demands, settle the strike and get workers back on the assembly lines.
No longer is a job just a way to earn money to make a living. Today’s younger generation of workers are looking for more in a job than what satisfied their parents. And employers are starting to listen and trying to make the work and workplace a satisfying way for their employees to make a living; not only as a way to hire workers to fill job vacancies, but to also slow the bleed of talent from dissatisfied employees found in many of today’s workplaces.
