Decent Work in the Digital Context: Scale Development and Validation

Abstract

The increasing prevalence of digital technology has reshaped higher education and influenced lecturers' perceptions and experiences of their work. Traditional measures of decent work often fail to capture the unique challenges and opportunities offered by digital contexts. This study aimed to address this gap by developing and validating a new scale to measure perceived decent work (PDW) in the digital age. The initial phase of the study involved a comprehensive investigation of 175 lecturers' perceptions of decent work, which led to the identification of six key dimensions. The second study expanded the scope to include 234 employees from various industries, further validating the scale's reliability and applicability. This study makes a valuable contribution to the field by providing a robust tool for assessing PDW at the individual level. These findings have profound implications for both academic research and practical applications, enabling a deeper understanding of the impact of digital technologies on work experiences and informing strategies to promote decent work in an evolving digital landscape.