The quality of work is as important as its quantity
social value. Participation in volunteer activities can enable people to contribute to their communities and the public good in ways that markets or public institutions may not. Volunteers can be great innovators, forging the way towards new ways of working and organizing workers, paid and unpaid. Wangari Maathai, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004, mobilized grassroots movements to promote sustainable development, democracy, women’s rights and peace. Her legacy has been influential in preparing the Post-2015 Development Agenda. Volunteer organizations can create bridges between political, geographical and cultural realities and can coordinate international efforts and solidarity to pursue humanitarian causes. Among others, the International Committee of the Red Cross, devoted to protecting human life and health, has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize three times: in 1917, 1944 and 1963. Similarly, Médecins Sans Frontières, which won the prize in 1999, mobilizes doctors and nurses to address health emergencies around the globe.2 UN Volunteers encourages the integration of volunteerism into development and peace processes in developing countries, partnering with governments and other local and international bodies. In all these ways volunteerism promotes cross-cutting approaches for human development. Creative work is equally important for expanding people’s capabilities and enhancing their opportunities. There are instrumental contributions, which result in direct economic gain, and noninstrumental contributions, which enhance knowledge and expand social cohesion. These contributions are not static; they interact with each other to enlarge human choices and empower people.3 Creative work is not only self-satisfying to the worker but can also extend happiness, pleasure, satisfaction and well-being to others, making it an important public good. Artwork from ancient civilizations continues to function as a foundation for new knowledge. Works of past musicians continue to inspire new music. Creative work can build bridges of social welfare and cohesion. And this welfare can also extend across international borders, linked by creativity in cultural tourism, for example.
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Given the centrality of creativity and innovation in the world of work, attention is shifting to types of workplaces and working conditions that may be more conducive to innovation than others. Recognizing that agency is a key factor in worker engagement and creativity, some companies have set aside time for workers to be creative. Since as early as 1948, 3M has had a 15 percent rule that allows employees to dedicate almost a full day each week to their own projects. One outcome of this approach was the invention of the Post-it.4 More recently, Google, Facebook, LinkedIn and Apple implemented different versions of a 20 percent rule for engineers to explore areas of their own interest to spark creative thinking.5
The link between work and human development is not automatic The foregoing links between work and human development are not automatic. They are subject to various conditions, ranging from the quality of work for individuals to the societal value of work. The link can vary depending on the scale of opportunities for workers’ voice and participation and whether discrimination or even violence is common at work.
Quality of work Whether people have jobs is important, but so are the nature and conditions of their work. For example: Is work safe? Are people fulfilled and satisfied by their work? Does their work provide a secure livelihood? Are there opportunities for training, social dialogue and progression? Does employment support a flexible work–life balance? These are standard questions for what makes a job a good job. From a human development perspective, the quality of work also depends on whether a job provides dignity and a sense of pride and whether it facilitates participation and interaction. Does it present a platform for voice, and does it respect workers’ rights and human rights more widely? Of course, what constitutes the quality of work can vary subjectively by country, personal circumstances and frame of reference—a reality that complicates quality of work measurement