Book Launch: Job Quality in a Turbulent Era

You are warmly invited to the launch of a timely new edited book "Job Quality in a Turbulent Era" on job quality in contemporary labour markets, published open access by Edward Elgar Publishing (editors Agnieszka Piasna, European Trade Union Institute, Belgium (ETUI) and Janine Leschke (Copenhagen Business School, Denmark).

As the world of work undergoes rapid transformation—driven by digitalisation, the green transition, labour market fragmentation, and shifting demographics—this edited volume offers a critical re-examination of what constitutes a “good job” today. It brings together fresh perspectives and updated analytical tools to address pressing challenges, including gig work, AI, algorithmic management, multiple jobholding, and the environmental crisis.

Join us for a conversation on how these forces are reshaping work—and what this means for workers, policymakers, and the future of labour markets. The launch will feature presentations by four contributing authors, who will discuss their respective chapters, followed by a Q&A and a small reception.

Agenda: 

Dr. Agnieszka Piasna (ETUI) will present an overview of the book and the conceptual framework developed in the Introduction (Chapter 1).

Dr. Funda Ustek Spilda (KCL) will present her co-authored chapter on Dataification, Surveillance and Automation: Using the Fairwork AI Principles to Capture Workers’ Experience in the Digital Economy (co-authored with Lola Brittain, Dr. Oguz Alyanak and Prof. Mark Graham) (Chapter 4).

Prof. Francis Green (UCL) will present his chapter on the Implications of the Capability Approach for the Relationship between Job Quality and Wellbeing (Chapter 10).

Prof. Kirsten Sehnbruch (LSE) will present her co-authored chapter titled “Who has the worst job? Multidimensional Deprivation and Interpersonal Comparisons in the Job Quality Debate” (co-authored with Mauricio Apablaza) (Chapter 11).

About the Speakers:

Dr. Agnieszka Piasna is a Senior Researcher in the Economic, Employment and Social Policies Unit at the ETUI.

Dr. Funda Ustek Spilda is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Digital Humanities at King’s College London.

Prof. Francis Green is Professor of Work and Education Economics in UCL Institute of Education, where he works at the LLAKES Centre.

Prof. Kirsten Sehnbruch is Deputy Director for Impact and Engagement of the International Inequalities Institute at the LSE