The EU should rethink work beyond competitiveness

Regarding social affairs, the current EU focuses on getting people into employment, mainly to boost competitiveness and economic growth, but it is debatable whether this should be the end goal, writes Maria Nyman.

Maria Nyman is secretary general of Caritas Europa.

On International Day for Decent Work, we want to start a debate on the true meaning and purpose of work, which goes much beyond upskilling and reskilling for the sake of increased productivity, competitiveness, and growth.

This EU objective has been consolidated many times recently. The La Hulpe Declaration, adopted at the end of the high-level conference on the European pillar of social rights in April, refers to people not in employment as “untapped labour market potential.”

Draghi’s coveted report on competitiveness states that “competitiveness today is […] about knowledge and skills embodied in the labour force”. Shortly after, unsurprisingly, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen asks Roxana Mînzatu, the candidate commissioner for People, Skills and Preparedness, “to guide the overall work on strengthening Europe’s human capital […] and help tackle the skills and labour gaps that hold back our productivity and competitiveness”.

The Draghi report and von der Leyen's mission letter to Mînzatu strongly focus on promoting productivity, competitiveness, and economic growth—the “holy grail” of every economy. But if this is our only understanding of work and its purpose, then we have taken a completely wrong turn.

One thing should be obvious: the primary purpose of work is not to serve the logic of growth. Now, this is not to say that all growth is bad or that it hasn’t contributed anything to the well-being of people.

But the purpose of wellbeing is to serve the fulfilment of people and the good of our environment.

If work aims to serve the wellbeing of society and of our environment, all our activity towards this goal should be conceived as work.

In this sense, work encapsulates all forms of labour, both paid and unpaid, contractual and non-contractual, that support people and protect our environment.

It should be considered an expression of care for the common good. Taking care of our children or of sick or elderly relatives is a form of work.

Volunteering in our local communities, for charities, or for political causes is a form of work. Volunteer workers play a crucial social role and demonstrate that employment, i.e. paid work to provide goods or services, is only one aspect of our daily work.

Meanwhile, for employment to be meaningful and, therefore, meet its primary purpose of serving the well-being of society and of our environment, the objective should be to leave a better world than it found.

It should enable people to have a decent standard of living, both for employees and those affected by it. It should protect nature and the environment.

Unfortunately, many jobs in our modern societies are not expressions of care but demand expanding production to maximise profits for a few wealthy shareholders.

In pursuing profit maximisation, it is common practice for businesses to race to the bottom on wages, working conditions and sustainability, leading to in-work poverty, the breakdown of families, burnout and environmental destruction.

Work should focus on a truly human-centred and just economy where the dignity of the human person is truly at the core in order to serve the well-being of people and our environment. EU policymakers need to shift their mindset by doing three things.

Firstly, recognise that the purpose of work is, first and foremost, to serve the common good rather than the logic of economic growth and understand that work is not the same thing as employment.

Work encompasses all forms of labour aimed at caring for people and our common home. Employment is just one aspect of our daily work.

Secondly, all forms of work should be valued, whether accounted for in the traditional labour market or not. This means recognising and valuing the work of: ”essential workers” - including care workers, parents and informal caregivers - youth workers, environmental campaigners, etc.

These forms of work have more value than many of the jobs often found in the traditional labour market, which is focused on maximising profits.

Finally, promote employment founded on good working conditions, decent wages, access to social protection and democratic processes that aim to serve the common good. Employment is a right for everyone.

This means that it should be available for all through, for example, an EU job guarantee framework. At the same time, workers should be supported through flexible working arrangements and a "right to disconnect".

By putting people and the planet at the centre, we can stop using “work” to drive productivity, competitiveness, and economic growth when this comes at the cost of true human development and sustainability.