A ‘Good Job’: What Global Workers Want from Their Work

For today’s workers across the globe, the concept of a “good job” is no longer tied solely to good pay, but also to a sense of purpose and a good working environment. Both the U.S. Department of Labor and the United Nations define a “good job” as one that provides social protection, opportunities for personal growth, and fair treatment in addition to fair pay.

SHRM’s recent research on what global workers consider a “good job” can help companies with talent acquisition amid the current labor shortage. By knowing what employees expect and value in their jobs, employers can build a motivated, healthy, and productive workforce. 

SHRM asked 16,000 workers in 16 countries about their attitudes and experiences across 17 key job features, including compensation, flexibility, and meaning. The data revealed that workers not only value good pay and benefits, but also a fair and respectful workplace. However, a significant number of respondents who listed these qualities as important reported dissatisfaction with these aspects of their current job. For example, more than 80% of global workers ranked job security, opportunities for growth, and work/life flexibility as very important, but a mere 40% to 60% claim to be satisfied in each of the areas surveyed. 

Across the globe, full-time employees, part-time employees, temporary employees, and independent workers agreed that good compensation, a respectful workplace, job security, and flexibility to manage both work and life issues are essential elements of a “good job.” That said, there are some differences between worker types.

Full-time salaried employees, temporary employees, and independent workers said they value jobs that offer them opportunities to use their skills and abilities, whereas hourly and part-time employees were the only worker types to place a high value on a manageable workload. Independent workers were the only worker type to rate doing work that holds personal meaning as very or extremely important to them. 

Perceptions of Job Quality 

Job quality ratings offer insight into worker satisfaction and are critical metrics for organizations and policymakers alike. Job quality ratings can affect an organization’s ability to attract and retain talent, and they can also alert legislators to broader issues in the workforce. When SHRM asked global workers to rank their job quality, 55% rated it as high, 33% rated it as average, and 13% rated it as low. 

The fact that only half of global workers consider their job quality to be high might concern employers. To improve these perceptions, employers can look at the major drivers of job quality satisfaction. For instance, part-time workers desire a good relationship with their manager because an understanding boss is more likely to accommodate the flexibility that part-time workers want. 

Full-time salaried employees (56%) and independent workers (61%) were significantly more likely to rate their job quality as high. This is because these types of workers reported greater satisfaction in key areas such as pay and benefits, opportunities to use their skills and abilities, and the opportunity to do work that is meaningful to them. 

Job quality appears to have a measurable impact on job satisfaction and retention, because workers who perceived their jobs to be low-quality were far more likely to be job hunting. More than 6 in 10 workers (61%) who rated their job quality as low reported that they were seeking a new position, as opposed to 14% of workers who rated their job quality as high.  

Mental Health at Work

As the conversation around mental health increasingly gains global attention, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Office of the Surgeon General have stated that work can play a role in both helping and harming workers’ mental health. Organizations and policymakers cannot afford to ignore the issue, because according to the WHO, 12 billion working days are lost every year due to anxiety and depression, resulting in a global cost of $1 trillion in lost productivity. 

SHRM’s research revealed that 20% of global workers believe their job has had a negative impact on their mental health. Meanwhile, 43% reported their work has had a positive impact on their mental health. 

That 20% is nothing to sniff at, and organizations might focus on improving employees’ experiences to improve engagement and happiness. One job feature was the only consistent top-five driver of mental health across all five worker types: recognition for a job well done. Simply acknowledging good performance can go a long way toward promoting a positive work environment and supporting workers’ mental health.

Other drivers of mental health cited by the survey respondents include a sense of community and a good relationship with one’s manager. In fact, according to UKG Workforce Institute research, 69% of employees said their managers influence their mental health.  

There is a meaningful correlation between a job’s impact on a worker’s mental health and that worker’s desire to seek a new job. Half of workers who reported that their work has negatively affected their mental health are job hunting. For workers who said their job has a positive impact on their mental health, only 19% claimed to be looking for a new position. 

Meeting Worker Expectations

Understanding worker expectations across the globe is essential for improving job quality and mental health. The definition of a “good job” has grown beyond pay and benefits. By studying the key drivers of job satisfaction, organizations can create work environments that meet the needs of their employees, enabling them to thrive.

Organizations that align with their workers’ expectations can benefit not only from healthier workplaces, but also greater talent retention and enhanced productivity. 

Global Human Resources 101

Rachel Zheliabovskii is a specialist, B2C content, at SHRM.