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Paper short abstract:

This paper argues that work is both constitutive of, and instrumental to, human wellbeing, and proposes three work-related capabilities (or intrinsic work functionings). It suggests workers’ freedom to achieve different combinations of these capabilities is crucial to work-related wellbeing.

Paper long abstract:

Work plays a crucial instrumental role in human wellbeing. Low-quality work impedes the achievement of functionings or capabilities in every aspect of our lives. Work which is poorly-remunerated, involves excessive working hours, or provides few-to-no worker-oriented flexibility will prevent people from living flourishing and fulfilling lives as active participants in society (e.g. see Betzelt and Bothfeld, 2011; Laruffa, 2020), or achieving functionings related to family development. The worst forms of labour exploitation, such as slavery, involve the deprivation of all freedoms, and thus prevent the achievement of all functionings and capabilities (Suppa, 2019).

However, this paper argues that it would be wrong to view work solely in these instrumental terms. Philosophers, practitioners and workers themselves would argue that work is also a constitutive part of our wellbeing: a functioning (and thus ultimately a capability) in itself, and not merely the means to the achievement of functionings outside the space of work. Using a previously-developed conceptual framework (Stephens, 2023), I argue for the existence of at least three functionings related to work: (1.) a functioning to work (e.g. see Bueno, 2022); (2.) a functioning for meaningful work (e.g. see Weidel, 2018; Yeoman, 2013); and (3.) a functioning to exercise worker voice (Bonvin, 2012; De Leonardis et al., 2012; Hirschman, 1970; Regier, 2024).

This enables the Capability Approach to contribute to a deeper analysis of the nature and evolution of low-quality work, and the damage caused by the worst forms of labour, than would be possible by viewing work in exclusively instrumental terms. This is because a purely instrumental perspective does not allow work to be viewed as of part of a capability set. This is fallacious, because worker wellbeing must partly be assessed in terms of peoples’ freedom to engage in different types of jobs in different ways, and in combination with other functionings, and to achieve meaning in their lives through various paid and unpaid productive activities. It depends also on their freedom to exercise genuine voice to shape the working environment around them. The nature and extent of this freedom determines a person’s power to shape work around their own lives – refusing unwanted jobs, negotiating better terms, and having a range of achievable work opportunities.

Having developed this, I then outline the critical implications for measurement, policymaking and practice in the study of work and the good work agenda.

Keywords: Capability Approach, Employment, Meaningful Work, Voice, Workplace