Improving job quality through workforce and economic development

The Playbook is a resource for workforce and economic development agencies to learn more about why job quality matters, what principles make a good job and how to implement job quality initiatives that support both employers and workers.

Resources you’ll find in the guide:

Opportunities for Change

Creative ways to address job quality challenges

Leading Practices

Real examples of the framework in practice

Metrics

Measure your own existing work and progress

Resources for Employers

Increase quality in your own organization

What Job Quality affects

Quality jobs are critical to the economic mobility, stability and wellbeing of workers.

Good jobs fuel thriving communities. Workers, businesses and the economy all benefit, and workforce development professionals have the tools to make quality jobs the norm.

Job Necessities provide equitable compensation, rights and protections for all workers.

Job Opportunities enable engagement, inclusion and advancement for all workers.

Job Features respond to the individual life situations, preferences and needs of workers.

How and where to start

Begin with the foundation

Unsure of where to get started? Use our foundations to develop an equity-centered job quality strategy and accompanying measurement approach to support future programs, policies and practices.

How to get started

Employ the components

The components of high-quality jobs go beyond basic needs. Use the job quality levers to include these components in your program delivery, partnerships and internal processes.

Job Quality Components

Job Quality Levers

Evidence-Based Workforce Spending Guide

Learn how to use grantmaking, purchasing and procurement to create more equitable outcomes through RFA’s second tool on building and using evidence.

Get the templates

Quality jobs create better futures for workers and businesses.