Looking to create good jobs? Avoid these 4 myths.

A summary of the Illinois Future of Work’s Second Task Force Meeting

Written by Hannah Gregor, University of Chicago

On October 25th, 2021, the Illinois Future of Work Task Force met for the second time virtually through Webex. The task force, created by Governor Pritzker and led by Senator Ram Villivalam and Leader Marcus Evans, is exploring ways to make the state’s workforce more inclusive and resilient. The task force’s charge is broad: to consider and produce a set of evidence-based policy recommendations that help the state create equitable, long-term economic growth; and to ensure all Illinoisans share in that success.

The task force’s second meeting focused on defining, creating, and measuring higher quality jobs. Rachel Korberg, Executive Director of The Families and Worker’s Fund, shared her perspectives on how this task force should tackle the challenge of improving jobs in Illinois. She argued that jobs should meet the needs of employees, especially their basic needs, including family-sustaining pay and benefits, stable schedules, opportunities for advancement, and personal safety. Sharing current data from United for Alice, she explained that 23% of workers in Illinois fit into the ALICE category of “asset limited, income constrained, but employed,” meaning that they cannot reliably afford basics like rent, transportation, and childcare, never mind save for the future, even though they are fully employed. Too many jobs today, she concluded, are not meeting the basic needs of employees or enabling them to advance their careers.

Korberg highlighted three key themes emerging from the global pandemic that will help the task force in its objective of identifying policies that increase the number of quality jobs. These three themes are: 1) the ongoing, national discussion around equity; 2) an influx of federal relief dollars to municipalities and states; and, 3) an overall, increased awareness and support of essential workers.

Rachel urged the task force to focus on the population of employed workers who still cannot make ends meet and advocated for policies that leverage the federal government’s support in implementing programs that support essential and marginalized workers. She concluded by making the case that improving job quality among employers will increase retention and productivity, as well as potentially reduce the need for social safety nets in the long-run. In these ways, improved jobs will help create communities that thrive and prosper.

Bob Bruno, Professor of labor and industrial relations at the University of Illinois at Chicago, spoke later in the meeting and warned the task force of the pitfalls of several “myths” that often accompany efforts to improve job quality. These include:

MYTH #1: Effective policies are synonymous with positive work outcomes.

Bruno argued that while the adoption of effective policies is necessary, it alone is not sufficient. Without a strong upfront investment in enforcement and worker/employer education, well thought-out policy will flounder on the aspirations of good intentions. Workers and employers must know the content of the laws and be supported by a robust oversight of policy implementation.

MYTH #2: Technology is the path to high quality and mass employment creation.

Bruno pointed out that technological innovation will occur but the limits of technology to raise employment standards are too often ignored. Likewise, the utopian promised gains of machine intelligence are too readily assumed. He urged the task force to keep in mind that people subjectively seek meaningfulness in their work and that job quality cannot be scientifically engineered.

MYTH #3: Policies should focus on increasing the number of job openings.

Bruno made the case that job growth is unquestionably important, but it doesn’t materially do anything to move a worker from non-employment to high quality employment. To meaningfully increase the labor force participation rate, a human infrastructure that invests in a person’s creative productive activity from early age to the prime of life must be built. “HQE” is dependent on measures that precede and nourish employment opportunities by supporting well-educated and healthy residents who can sustain a family-work balance.

MYTH #4: Finally, good employment opportunities are purely market determined.

Bruno asserted that the market will generate and foreclose employment, but work and its dense network of accompanying dynamics are not a product of economic science or natural law. Work writ large is a social convention dependent on public policy. Who counts as an employee, what is the employment standard, how do we understand employment obligations, and what participatory mechanisms do workers have to influence their employment destinies? These, Bruno concluded, are just a few of the matters that sound policy determines.

Rachel, Bob, and speakers Alison Dickson, economic researcher at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and Lonnie Goldman, Professor of Economics at Penn State Abington, all expressed that we are at a pivotal moment to make meaningful change in job quality. The task force must look for solutions that better the quality of jobs for workers, business, and the government.