Session 2: Emerging challenges and future directions for decent work
Across two special sessions we showcase ten chapters from the forthcoming Research Handbook of Decent Work, which is being finalised for publication by Edward Elgar Publishing. The book takes an interdisciplinary and international approach to explore the concept of decent work and its importance in today’s society. Decent work refers to employment that is productive, provides a fair income, offers social protection, and respects workers’ rights. It is a fundamental human right, essential for promoting economic growth, reducing poverty, and achieving sustainable development. It is featured in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 8 and is linked to many more, including quality education, the elimination of poverty, and gender equality.
Research on decent work has accelerated over the past decade, drawing attention to its importance beyond disciplinary boundaries, and across various geographic, economic, and social contexts. Academic researchers have operationalised the concept (Duffy, et al, 2016; Ferraro, et al, 2018) and scrutinised its applicability in different contexts and for various workers across the globe (e.g., Blustein, et al, 2016; Duffy, et al, 2020). Beyond all this scrutiny, what has emerged is a compelling case for decent work as a means to promote social justice and well-being and create a more equitable and sustainable society.
These sessions offer a unique and engaging opportunity to delve into the latest decent work research. The accompanying book showcases diverse perspectives on decent work from multiple disciplines, including sociology, economics, work and organisational psychology, vocational psychology, and employment relations, underscoring the complementarity of these different lenses in understanding decent work. Contributions are geographically diverse, combining established and emerging scholars’ voices and integrating perspectives from practitioners such as unions about their experience implementing decent work on the ground.
To reflect the richness and breadth of this research, each session addresses a distinct but complementary aspect of decent work:
1. Conceptualising decent work across disciplines, geographies and perspectives: This session critically examines how decent work is defined, theorised, and operationalised across disciplines, highlighting how regional and contextual factors shape its meaning and implementation. The session brings together theoretical debates, interdisciplinary perspectives and discussions on measurement challenges, providing a robust foundation for understanding decent work’s evolving role in contemporary labour markets.
2. Emerging challenges and future directions for decent work: This session shifts focus to the challenges that threaten decent work in the 21st century. It explores how technological changes, AI-driven employment transformations, gig work, migrant work, and climate change are reshaping traditional labour protections and worker experiences. By addressing contemporary threats and potential policy solutions, this session highlights how the decent work agenda must evolve to remain relevant in a rapidly changing global economy.
A strength of this two-part session is the diversity of voices and perspectives. We have speakers from across the globe sharing their research. Recognising the importance of a cross-stakeholder approach to decent work, we ensure that this session addresses the needs of policymakers, organisational decision-makers, unions, employees, and academics.
Session 2 brings together insights from labour policy, technology studies, and sustainability research to explore how the decent work agenda must evolve to remain relevant in a rapidly changing world. It critically examines the ways in which contemporary labour challenges are reshaping the future of work by addressing key questions, including:
● How do algorithmic management and AI influence worker autonomy, job security, and labour protections?
● How are workers in gig and platform economies navigating precarious employment conditions while advocating for new forms of social protections?
● What are the implications of climate change for decent work, particularly in industries vulnerable to environmental disruptions?
●How do migrant workers experience decent work, and what shapes their work experiences?
Session Co-Chairs:
● Ishbel McWha-Hermann, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
● Christian Yao, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
● Noelle Donnelly, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
Speakers:
● Penny Williams, School of Management, Queensland University of Technology, Australia
● Uma Rani, Research Department, ILO Geneva, Switzerland
● Stuart C. Carr, School of Psychology, Massey University, New Zealand
● Maha Yomn Sbaa, Radboud University, Netherlands
Discussant: Prof Deirdre McCann, Durham University
Blustein, D. L., Olle, C., Connors-Kellgren, A., & Diamonti, A. J. (2016). Decent work: A psychological perspective. Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 407.
Duffy, R. D., Blustein, D. L., Diemer, M. A., & Autin, K. L. (2016). The psychology of working theory. Journal of counseling psychology, 63(2), 127.
Duffy, R. D., Kim, H. J., Allan, B. A., & Prieto, C. G. (2020). Predictors of decent work across time: Testing propositions from Psychology of Working Theory. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 123, 103507.
Ferraro, T., Pais, L., Rebelo Dos Santos, N., & Moreira, J. M. (2018). The Decent Work Questionnaire: Development and validation in two samples of knowledge workers. International Labour Review, 157(2), 243-265.
