The quality of work in the UK and how to improve it has been debated for decades, but not fully addressed as a public policy issue. In 2016 the Prime Minister commissioned an independent review, led by Matthew Taylor, to consider the implications of work in the modern economy. Taylor called for policy to address the wider issue of creating quality work for all, positing that ‘all work should be fair and decent with realistic scope for development and fulfilment’ (p.82)

In this report, the CIPD provides a first contribution to mapping out the road to good work, focusing on policy and practice actions that aim to champion better work and working lives.

The report begins by providing an assessment of the state of play and what the quality of work looks like in the UK today in the context of other major European economies and the ‘gig economy’. The following sections create a supporting argument for why we need a quality of work strategy, and how we can create one that is meaningful and effective.

Download the discussion paper below:

The Road to Good Work - Discussion paper
PDF document 2.6 MB

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