The Definitive Guide to Quality Jobs: What Sets Them Apart

What exactly is a “Quality Job”? 

We’ve all heard how critical job quality is to building a long-term business… But what does that actually entail? A good job can be defined in various ways. But generally, it refers to a position that offers certain characteristics and benefits that contribute to the well-being and satisfaction of an individual. The Good Jobs Institute, an organization focused on improving job quality, breaks down the definition of a “good job” into several key elements, outlined below.

Adequate Basic Needs:

• Compensation: Provides fair wages and benefits that enable employees to meet their basic needs such as food, housing, healthcare, and education for themselves and their families.
• Work hours: Provides reasonable working hours that allow employees to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
• Job security: Offers stability and protection against arbitrary layoffs or terminations, ensuring employees have a sense of security in their employment.

Good Higher Needs:

• Career advancement: Provides opportunities for growth, skill development, and promotion within the organization. A quality job supports employees' aspirations for upward mobility and personal development.
• Empowerment and autonomy: Allows employees to have a certain degree of control and decision-making authority over their work. It fosters a sense of empowerment, trust, and ownership.
• Meaningful work: Provides a sense of purpose, allowing individuals to contribute to something meaningful and align their work with their values. It goes beyond mere task completion and engages employees in work that has a positive impact.
• Supportive management: Involves supportive and fair management practices that encourage open communication, feedback, and recognition. It fosters a positive work environment and cultivates healthy relationships between managers and employees.
• Health and well-being: Prioritizes the physical and mental well-being of employees, offering access to healthcare, wellness programs, and resources to support a healthy lifestyle.
• Work-life integration: Acknowledges the importance of personal life and provides flexibility and support to employees to balance their work responsibilities with personal commitments.

Overall, a quality job recognizes and fulfills the basic needs of employees while also addressing their higher needs for personal growth, fulfillment, and well-being. By meeting these components, a quality job can contribute to the overall happiness and satisfaction of individuals in their professional lives.