Most U.S. workers are not in what researchers call “quality jobs,” according to a new study on American job quality.
“Only 4 in 10 workers in America right now are in quality jobs,” said Molly Blankenship, director of strategy and impact at Jobs for the Future.
The study defined job quality based on five factors: fair pay and benefits, workplace culture and safety, growth opportunities, workers’ voice in decision-making, and work schedule sustainability.
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“Quality jobs are linked to better outcomes for workers both at work and at home,” Blankenship said. “And really across every measure, whether we’re talking about happiness or job satisfaction, employees with quality jobs fare much better than those without them.”
Blankenship added that when workers lack quality jobs, businesses are not getting the full potential out of their workforce. A Gallup report found disengaged employees resulted in global productivity losses of more than $9 trillion last year.
“When the worker is unhappy, they’re more likely to take shortcuts,” said career coach Elizabeth Koraca. “When they feel undervalued, they’re likely to underperform.”
Koraca said workers who lack quality in some aspects of their job should speak up.
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“You want to ask yourself, can these be fixed? Can I speak with my manager and have a conversation with them about what I’m not happy about? Am I able to, and feel safe to go to HR to express some of these concerns? Because many times it’s not getting a raise, not getting the promotion and not feeling valued,” she said.
The report found notable differences across demographics. Nearly half of men have a “quality job” compared to 34% of women. Location also played a role, with workers in the West most likely to have a quality job.
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