Employees have come to view Job as being primarily about the money, a trend that has emerged since the pandemic!

?? A "good work" is fundamental to individual wellbeing, supports a strong, fair society, and creates motivated workers, productive organizations and a strong economy.

?? The sentiment that a job is solely about financial compensation has been increasingly prevalent among employees since 2023, and this trend has continued to escalate into 2024.

?? The concept of 'work centrality'—the importance of work in people's lives—has undergone a significant shift.

?? People were also less likely to say they would work harder than they need to help their employer, down from 57% to 51%.

?? The rise in remote work has not affected various work quality metrics, like autonomy, indicating that the essence of the job and the treatment we receive at work are more significant factors than our work location, according to a new interesting research published by CIPD using data ?? from a survey of 5,496 UK workers, collected between 8 January and 15 February 2024.

?What does good work look like in 2024?

Researchers have defined "good work" by below dimensions of job quality that encompass significant subjective and objective aspects of work:

?? is fairly rewarded

?? gives people the means to securely make a living

?? provides opportunities to develop skills and a career and gives a sense of fulfilment

?? delivers a supportive environment with constructive relationships

?? allows for work–life balance

?? is physically and mentally healthy for people

?? gives people the voice and choice they need to shape their working lives

?? is accessible to all

?? is affected by a range of factors, including HR practices, the quality of people management and by workers themselves.

The seven dimensions of job quality cover important subjective and objective aspects of work. Despite changes in the world of work, the fundamentals of good work remain constant. People professionals need to focus on getting the basics right, as well as tackling emerging issues that shift how or where work is done.

?Work centrality and discretionary effort

Researchers noticed that lack of work centrality and discretionary effort remain an issue.

?? Although most job quality indicators have shown only slight changes in the past five years, the concept of 'work centrality'—the importance people place on work in their lives—has seen a notable shift.

The pandemic has shifted employee perspectives, emphasizing the financial aspect of work.

?? In 2024, nearly half of the employees report feeling that a job is just about money and nothing else, a significant increase from the 36% in 2019. This shift seems to have occurred after the COVID-19 pandemic, during which work became less of a priority for many amidst the uncertainty and turmoil.

Although this figure has remained consistent since 2023, it is still below the 57% recorded in 2019, with no indications of reverting to pre-pandemic levels.

?Men are often perceived as more likely than women to regard work as transactional.

?? Researchers found that, in terms of group differences, men are more likely to perceive work as transactional compared to women.

Since 2019, researchers noticed that there has been a growing sentiment among various groups, especially those under 35, ethnic minorities, and individuals with non-standard work contracts, that work feels increasingly transactional.

?Find joy in your work, even without monetary reward.

Researchers found that even in the absence of financial necessity, employees may still discover fulfillment and happiness in their work.

?? Work centrality is indeed a multifaceted issue. While almost 40% of employees acknowledge that a job is primarily about earning money, a larger percentage (57%) agree that they would enjoy their work even if financial gain was not a necessity.

?The large majority of employees feel they do valuable work

Researchers found that overall, the vast majority believe they contribute valuable work at the organizational level, yet far fewer are inspired by the organization's purpose.

Indeed, researchers have observed very reassuring findings:

??My work is important to the organization (82%)

?? My work makes a valuable contribution to the organization (78%)

??My work is useful to the organization (73%)

Approximately half perceive that it serves a broader societal purpose, while a quarter disagree, but these standards are lofty and would be unrealistic to expect every job to fulfill.

?? Finally, researchers provided three recommendations for organizations to foster engagement, commitment, and motivation among employees, emphasizing the need for positive behavior from staff at all organizational levels:

?? Providing employees with the resources to do their job properly, such as supervisor and colleague support and feedback, helps prevent the demands of their job from becoming overwhelming.

?? Employers should provide their staff with sufficient support to ensure they feel cared for and valued in their jobs. This will probably enhance their sense of belonging to the organization and result in them feeling more involved and dedicated.

?? Jobs need to be clearly defined so employees have an acute understanding of their role expectations. Employees need to fully utilize and be sufficiently challenged by their skills to find their work meaningful.

?? ???? ???????????????? ????????:

This outstanding research published by CIPD which takes a large sample of people across the UK sheds light on how employees feel about work and I really like the seven dimensions of a 'good job'. There are also reassuring indicators that the vast majority of employees believe they contribute valuable work at the organizational level. And as researchers demonstrate, despite changes in the workplace, the fundamentals of good work remain constant today.

Thank you ?? CIPD researchers team for these insightful findings: Ian Brinkley

Peter Cheese Amanda Arrowsmith Chartered FCIPD

Dave Ulrich

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