A Study on a New 5S Model of Decent Work Perception

Purpose: Decent work promotes decent and productive work opportunities for all genders under conditions of freedom, equality, safety, and human dignity. Despite the growing body of literature on this concept, decent work perception (DWP) measurement still needs to be improved. Although the literature provides several measurement tools for DWP, only some studies focus on knowledge works. This study aims to provide an original, valid, and reliable measure of DWP reflecting the knowledge workers’ perception of decent work. Problem: Based on a proposed conceptual framework of DWP, a scale was developed through a systematic scale development process. Methodology: In this study, an exploratory survey is conducted to generate codes using in-depth interviews. A pilot study is used to generate and select items for the DWP scale. An exploratory factor analysis is conducted to determine the underlying factor structure of the scale. Data are collected from 869 knowledge workers in China in the formal survey. Results: The analysis provides a five-dimensional structure of DWP with 15 items, including security, support, self-value, skills, and self-esteem. Implications: Our work expands research on decent work and adds to the broader area of knowledge workers. By developing a scale of DWP, our research has practical implications in theory and practice.