Decent work for those who desire it is a fundamental objective of any society that aspires to being civilised, and is one of Jamaica's fundamental development goals.

Decent work is work that is personally fulfilling, in a workplace that is safe and comfortable, governed by rules that enhance dignity and promote respect.

Decent work offers opportunities for personal development and compensation that is fair, measured and adequate for the acquisition of material comforts for self and family.

However, Jamaica needs to significantly improve its economic performance for decent work to be universally available, and not just the good fortune of the privileged few.

Average annual growth

It is painfully obvious that we have failed as a country to grow our economy adequately since independence. Annual growth of one per cent and two per cent will not get us there. Jamaica needs a minimum of five to 10 per cent average annual growth if we are going to see a significant improvement in our lifetime.

Although the obvious symbols of wealth are highly visible, this is a deceptive illusion, as we are not a wealthy society.

Over the years, too many of our policy prescriptions have, deliberately or inadvertently, focused on the redistribution of wealth. We have mostly paid lip service to wealth creation.

The universal redistribution of poverty will only make us all poor.

Too many of our workers are ill-educated, unskilled and lack the work ethic needed for a productive economy. Much of this can be attributed to the general deterioration in positive values and attitudes associated with the breakdown in families, fatherlessness and a host of other social ills.

Some may say that it is unfair to lay the responsibility at the feet of government to fix these ills, but we have to start somewhere.

Education overhaul needed

The educational system needs a fundamental overhaul if it is to respond effectively to our current challenges. Today's curriculum assumes a social paradigm that does not obtain for the vast majority of Jamaican youngsters and is not focused enough on creating a workforce based on the needs of the market.

Too many of us in the public and private sectors are trapped inefficient and under-productive organisations because many of our managers are still steeped in obsolete and backward mindsets.

Far too many of us are underemployed or hopelessly out of work because of the ongoing economic malaise.

The current social dialogue between the government, opposition, private sector, organised labour, and civil society needs to have, as a central theme, rapid economic growth.

Going forward each of these sectors needs to better understand its role, and what the others need to do in order to achieve this.

What's required?

We will require a deeper level of mutual understanding and the making and keeping of commitments that lead to greater levels of trust and cooperation.

We need to put aside sentiment and emotion and be objective and realistic in our dialogue and prescriptions.

To enhance the chances of sustained national development, we will need social and economic stability, but any sacrifice to achieve this must be equitably shared.

Government will have to be efficient, accountable and responsive. This will require a new type of relationship with the Opposition to ensure agreement and policy continuity in key areas such as basic education and national security. It will need a new degree of political cooperation to go beyond the constant putting out of fires to implementing the long- term measures to ease the stranglehold of debt and promote growth.

We all pay for our government and we cannot afford the burden of an expensive and inefficient state, as this deprives the economy of human and financial resources that could be deployed in productive activities.

Measures for sustainability

The business sector must strive to be world class but must also remain mindful of its responsibility to nation building. In a society where trust is low and the social fabric is fragile, business leaders have to act in the best interests of their enterprises, but recognise that acting lawfully and responsibly, and working and lobbying for good governance, are the best measures to ensure sustainable profits and growth.

More business leaders need to recognise that efficient management is enlightened management, and that happy workers are more efficient and productive.

There are many entrepreneurs and managers who believe that organisations that actively strive for worker happiness are the most sustainable and, ultimately, the most profitable and successful. Examples abound abroad and in Jamaica of companies that view sustainable profit and growth as the by-product of planning and executing a programme of decent work.

We are not all there yet but the social dialogue, the policymaking, the collective action, the individual action, should all be taking us to that place.

Wayne Chen is president of the Jamaica Employers' Federation. Feedback may be sent to columns@gleanerjm.com.