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Decent Work for All 101

ILO framework, labor rights & quality employment in India
ImpactMojo Workshop Series • Fair Livelihoods and Social Protection
75-90 Minutes

Workshop 1: Understanding decent work framework

Target Audience: Labor economists, policy makers, development practitioners, trade union representatives, and professionals working on employment issues

Prerequisites: Basic understanding of labor markets helpful but not required

Materials Needed: Calculators, labor force statistics, policy documents

Learning objectives

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

Part 1: What is decent work? - Beyond just having a job

20 minutes

Three workers, three realities: The decent work spectrum

Rajesh (Construction Worker, Delhi):

  • Daily wage: ₹400-500 (when work available)
  • Works 6 days/week, 10-12 hours/day
  • No written contract, paid daily in cash
  • No safety equipment, frequent injuries
  • No health insurance, EPF, or paid leave
  • Job security: None - hired daily

Priya (Software Engineer, Bangalore):

  • Monthly salary: ₹80,000
  • Works 45-50 hours/week (sometimes more during deadlines)
  • Written contract, annual increments
  • Health insurance, PF, stock options
  • Paid vacation, maternity leave
  • High stress, work-life balance issues

Sunita (Domestic Worker, Mumbai):

  • Monthly income: ₹12,000 (4 houses)
  • Works 8-10 hours/day, 7 days/week
  • Verbal agreements, irregular payments
  • Respect and dignity issues
  • No social security, benefits
  • Vulnerable to sudden termination

All three have "jobs" but vastly different work experiences. Decent work is about the quality of employment as well as its quantity.

The ILO decent work framework

Definition: Decent work is productive work for women and men in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity.

Goal: All people should have opportunities for work that is:

  • Productive and delivers a fair income
  • Provides security in the workplace and social protection for families
  • Offers better prospects for personal development and social integration
  • Gives people freedom to express their concerns, organize and participate in decisions affecting their lives
  • Guarantees equal opportunities and treatment for all women and men

The four pillars of decent work

Employment creation

Focus: Creating jobs and economic opportunities

  • Employment-to-population ratios
  • Unemployment rates
  • Informal employment shares
  • Skills development programs
Rights at work

Focus: Fundamental principles and rights

  • Freedom of association
  • Collective bargaining rights
  • Elimination of forced labor
  • Abolition of child labor
  • Non-discrimination at work
Social protection

Focus: Security and safety nets

  • Social security coverage
  • Occupational safety and health
  • Maternity protection
  • Pensions and disability benefits
  • Unemployment protection
Social dialogue

Focus: Tripartite cooperation

  • Worker representation
  • Employer organization
  • Government facilitation
  • Collective bargaining
  • Dispute resolution mechanisms

Part 2: Measuring decent work - key indicators

25 minutes

Decent work indicators framework

Dimension Key Indicators What It Measures Indian Context
Employment Opportunities Employment-to-population ratio, Unemployment rate, Youth unemployment Quantity of available work PLFS 2025: worker population ratio of 57.4% (age 15+)
Adequate Earnings Working poverty rate, Minimum wage coverage, Low pay incidence Whether work provides living wage Low earnings concentrated among casual and self-employed workers (see PLFS earnings tables)
Decent Hours Excessive hours (>48/week), Time-related underemployment Work-life balance and adequate hours Long hours common among regular and self-employed workers (see PLFS hours tables)
Stability & Security Informal employment, Temporary employment, Job tenure Employment security and predictability About 90% in informal employment (ILO and IHD, India Employment Report 2024, for 2022)
Equal Treatment Gender pay gap, Occupational segregation, Discrimination measures Equity and non-discrimination Women in regular wage jobs earn about 24% less a month than men, and women casual workers about 31% less a day (PLFS, 2025)
Safe Work Environment Occupational injury rate, Fatal accident rate, Labor inspection Workplace safety and health Limited coverage of OSH laws to informal sector

Problem set: Calculating decent work indicators (15 minutes)

Data Set: Labor Market Survey Results for District X

Population and Employment Data (District X, 2023): • Total population: 2,500,000 • Working age population (15-64): 1,600,000 • Labor force: 1,000,000 • Employed: 950,000 • Unemployed: 50,000 Employment Breakdown: • Formal sector employees: 190,000 • Informal sector employees: 380,000 • Self-employed (formal): 85,000 • Self-employed (informal): 295,000 Working Conditions: • Workers earning below ₹10,000/month: 475,000 • Workers working >48 hours/week: 570,000 • Workers with written contracts: 230,000 • Workers with social security: 180,000 Gender Breakdown: • Male workers: 650,000 • Female workers: 300,000 • Average male earnings: ₹18,000/month • Average female earnings: ₹12,000/month
Calculate the following indicators:

1. Basic Labor Market Indicators:

  • Labor Force Participation Rate: _____%
  • Employment-to-Population Ratio: _____%
  • Unemployment Rate: _____%

2. Decent Work Quality Indicators:

  • Informal Employment Rate: _____%
  • Working Poverty Rate (earning <₹10,000): _____%
  • Excessive Hours Rate (>48hrs/week): _____%
  • Social Security Coverage Rate: _____%

3. Gender Equality Indicators:

  • Female Labor Force Participation Rate: _____%
  • Gender Pay Gap: _____%
  • Women's share of total employment: _____%

4. Analysis Questions:

  • Which decent work deficit is most severe in this district?
  • How does this district compare to national averages?
  • What would be your top 3 policy priorities based on these indicators?

Part 3: Indian labor market context

20 minutes

Structural challenges to decent work in India

Current challenges

  • High Informality: About 90% of workers are informally employed (India Employment Report 2024)
  • Low Productivity: Agricultural employment at 46% but 18% of GDP
  • Gender Gaps: Women's LFPR (age 15+) fell to 23.3% in 2017-18 and was 40.0% in 2025 (PLFS)
  • Skill Mismatches: Employers report skill shortages
  • Weak Social Protection: Few informal workers have comprehensive coverage
  • Poor Working Conditions: Limited OSH enforcement

Reform opportunities

  • Demographic Dividend: A young and growing working-age population
  • Digital Economy: Growing platform and gig work
  • Policy Momentum: New labor codes, social security
  • Skill India Mission: Large-scale capacity building
  • Financial Inclusion: JAM trinity enabling direct transfers
  • Manufacturing Growth: Make in India, PLI schemes

India's New Labor Code framework

Four new labor codes (passed 2019-2020; in force since 21 November 2025, replacing 29 central labour laws)

1. Code on Wages (2019):

  • Universal minimum wage floor
  • Timely payment provisions
  • Gender-neutral wage policies

2. Industrial Relations Code (2020):

  • Ease of hiring and firing
  • Threshold for standing orders raised to 300
  • Re-skilling fund provisions

3. Social Security Code (2020):

  • Extended coverage to gig and platform workers
  • Portable social security accounts
  • Aggregator liability for social security

4. Occupational Safety and Health Code (2020):

  • Unified OSH framework
  • Applies to establishments with 10 or more workers (factories: 20 with power, 40 without)
  • Women's night work provisions

Decent Work Assessment: Progress on formalization and social protection, but concerns about weakened worker protections and collective bargaining rights.

Part 4: Policy analysis exercise

20 minutes

Policy evaluation: MGNREGA and decent work

Background: MGNREGA guarantees 100 days of wage employment annually to rural households. (MGNREGA was repealed from 1 July 2026 and replaced by the Viksit Bharat G RAM G Act 2025, which raises the guarantee to 125 days.) The exercise below analyses its performance in 2022-23 using the decent work framework.

MGNREGA Performance Data (2022-23): • Households provided employment: 6.2 crore (62 million) • Person-days of employment: 295.6 crore (about 2.96 billion) • Average days per household: 47.6 • Households completing 100 days: 5.8% • Average wage rate: ₹217 per day • Wages earned by workers: ₹65,266 crore (Source: LibTech India, Status Report on the Implementation of MGNREGA 2023-24, from NREGASoft. The Ministry of Rural Development reported 293.70 crore person-days for 2022-23 in Lok Sabha on 30 July 2024.)
Decent work assessment framework (15 minutes):

Pillar 1: Employment Creation

Questions to Analyze:

  • How many rural households benefit from MGNREGA employment? What % of rural workforce?
  • Is the 47.6 days average adequate for household income security?
  • Calculate: If minimum 100 days were provided to all enrolled households, what would be the additional cost?

Your Assessment: _____ (Rate 1-5 and justify)

Pillar 2: Rights at Work

Evaluation Criteria:

  • Legal guarantee vs. on-demand employment
  • Transparency through social audits
  • Grievance redressal mechanisms
  • Non-discrimination in job allocation

Your Assessment: _____ (Rate 1-5 and justify)

Pillar 3: Social Protection

Analysis Points:

  • Wage rates vs. minimum wages in states
  • Timely payment (within 15 days mandate)
  • Work site facilities (water, shade, first aid)
  • Accident compensation provisions

Your Assessment: _____ (Rate 1-5 and justify)

Pillar 4: Social Dialogue

Mechanisms to Evaluate:

  • Gram Sabha participation in planning
  • Worker committees and vigilance groups
  • Social audit processes
  • Complaint and feedback systems

Your Assessment: _____ (Rate 1-5 and justify)

Overall Decent Work Score: _____/20

Policy Recommendations: Based on your analysis, what are the top 3 improvements needed to make MGNREGA more aligned with decent work principles?

Reflection & action planning

10 minutes

Decent work action planning

Individual Reflection (7 minutes):

Think about your own work context or sector:

  1. Which decent work pillar is weakest in your sector? _____
  2. What's one concrete policy change that could improve decent work? _____
  3. How could you measure progress on decent work in your area? _____
  4. What's one action you can take to promote decent work principles? _____

Quick Share (3 minutes): Exchange insights about decent work challenges in different sectors

Summary

Decent work is about the quality of jobs as well as their number. Creating jobs without attention to wages, conditions, rights and social protection can keep people poor and unequal.

Resources for continued learning

ILO Resources:

Indian Labor Market Analysis:

Data Sources:

Next Steps in ImpactMojo:

This handout is part of the ImpactMojo 101 Knowledge Series
Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 • Free to use with attribution • www.impactmojo.in

For complete decent work indicator databases, policy analysis templates, and labor market datasets, visit the ImpactMojo platform.