What is the issue?
Good work matters – for individuals, the health of our economy and the strength of our society. Yet, for too many people, work is far from a labour of love. Average earnings have yet to recover to their pre-crisis levels, and more than 7 million people live in working households below the poverty line. Workers have also been left wanting for jobs with purpose, dignity and meaning. Reecent RSA/Populus survey findings reveal that half the workforce find their jobs stressful, a quarter are unhappy or depressed at work, and a quarter say they have less freedom and control than they did 5 years ago. These problems require a systemic response rather a patchwork of short-term fixes.
What will the project try to achieve?
The RSA Future Work Centre will build backing for a fresh ‘social contract’ that is fit for the modern world of work, and which is resilient in the face of oncoming technological, political and demographics trends. This means setting out a new division of rights and responsibilities, underpinned by a series of pragmatic yet ambitious interventions. From personal training accounts to a Universal Basic Income, and from new union models to platform cooperatives, the RSA Future Work Centre will culminate in a series of ideas to motivate and inform the work policymakers and practitioners across the country.
Who might be interested in this project?
All those passionate about bringing about a better world of work. The RSA Future Work Centre is aimed at a broad audience, including government departments, local authorities, further education colleges, unions, business groups, employers large and small, academics specialising in labour market economics, and HR professionals, among others.