If you asked a hundred people what makes a job “good,” you’d probably hear some familiar answers: fair pay, good benefits, steady hours. But after that, the answers would start to differ. For some, it’s purpose. For others, it’s growth potential, flexibility, or simply working with people they like.
October is Manufacturing Month in Wisconsin. Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce’s (WMC’s) annual spotlight on the state’s largest industry (it contributes almost ~$75B to the state’s economy) is a reminder that manufacturing jobs have long been considered the gold standard for “good jobs”.
But as we reflected on Manufacturing Month, we wanted to explore what exactly makes one job “good” and another…not?
In many ways manufacturing jobs are clearly “good”. They tend to offer stability, a competitive wage, and the satisfaction of producing something tangible you can point to at the end of the day. There’s pride in making things and seeing your work out in the world.
However, manufacturing jobs carry risks that some Wisconsinites know well. Automation can reduce headcount. Global competition can put downward pressure on wages. And when plants close, whole towns can be impacted overnight (a good book if you haven’t read it: “Janesville: An American Story”).
This same pattern plays out in other sectors. Healthcare offers purpose, but schedules can be tough and burnout is high. Tech can pay well, but layoffs have become routine as of late. Service jobs provide flexibility and a foot in the door, but don’t always offer stability or mobility.
Maybe “good jobs” aren’t about what you do, they’re about what they provide.
A quick heuristic for what factors make one job “better” than another might look like this:
- Security: Can you depend on it? Does it offer predictable hours, fair pay, basic benefits?
- Mobility: Can you get somewhere from it? Do the skills compound? Transfer?
- Meaning: Does the work matter to you?
- Safety: Are the risks transparent and fairly rewarded?
- Flexibility: Does it fit your life right now?
A “good” manufacturing job checks a lot of those boxes. So does an electrician, a medical technician, a software engineer, or an insurance agent.
What’s our perspective?
We see “good” jobs as a continuous pursuit, not a static target.
In a fluid labor market, the best opportunities rise to the top, getting more people into “good” jobs while putting pressure on the rest to improve.
And at our core, we believe our work is about moving people from jobs that aren’t good for them to ones that are. Because when that match happens, everyone benefits: the person, the employer, and the economy.
Until next time,
Your Spherion South Central WI & Northern IL team