Expanding the Impact of the Psychology of Working: Engaging Psychology in the Struggle for Decent Work and Human Rights

TLDR

Recent global changes are driving a loss of decent work, raising unemployment, underemployment, and precarious work, and undermining economic survival, social connection, and self‑determination, especially for marginalized groups. The article proposes a rationale and research agenda for applied psychologists and career development professionals, drawing on the psychology of working framework and theory, to address human rights and decent work by examining economic and social protections, balancing caregiving and market work, making work more just, and enhancing coping capacities. The authors draw on PWF/PWT to develop exemplary research agendas that investigate the psychological meaning and impact of economic and social protections, caregiving‑market work balance, just work, and coping capacities. The examples aim to stimulate new research ideas that will inform and strengthen efforts to realize work as a human right.

Abstract

Building on new developments in the psychology of working framework (PWF) and psychology of working theory (PWT), this article proposes a rationale and research agenda for applied psychologists and career development professionals to contribute to the many challenges related to human rights and decent work. Recent and ongoing changes in the world are contributing to a significant loss of decent work, including a rise of unemployment, underemployment, and precarious work across the globe. By failing to satisfy human needs for economic survival, social connection, and self-determination, the loss of decent work undermines individual and societal well-being, particularly for marginalized groups and those without highly marketable skills. Informed by innovations in the PWF/PWT, we offer exemplary research agendas that focus on examining the psychological meaning and impact of economic and social protections, balancing caregiving work and market work, making work more just, and enhancing individual capacities for coping and adapting to changes in the world of work. These examples are intended to stimulate new ideas and initiatives for psychological research that will inform and enhance efforts pertaining to work as a human right.