POOR-QUALITY work is hitting Britain’s productivity, highlighting the need for decent jobs, according to a union leader.

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak says that decent work is “fundamental to our future as a nation” and must be at the heart of “overdue” economic reforms.

Speaking at the Decent Work Conference 2024 in London, alongside Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones, Mr Nowak will today warn that poor-quality, insecure work is harming the country’s productivity.

He will say: “Decent work is fundamental to our future success as a nation.

“It is the foundation on which we build a stronger, fairer economy and it is the key that unlocks prosperity, security and opportunity for all.

“We must choose to do things differently and address the UK’s big problem with bad work.

“We have one in eight workers trapped in insecure work, well over a million workers on zero-hours contracts, and of the 15 million people living in poverty in Britain today, over half are in work.

“These are not just statistics. These are real people not knowing where their next pay cheque is coming from or whether they’ll earn enough to feed the kids or pay the bills.”

The government’s move to strengthen workers’ rights will have a positive impact on business, Mr Nowak will add, saying: “Over the past few weeks, we’ve heard quite a bit from lobbyists about the challenges facing British business.

“But instead of a one-sided focus on costs for business, it’s time to highlight the benefits, because all the evidence shows that employers will gain from a happier, healthier, more productive workforce.

“Better working conditions will reduce annual staff turnover rates of over 50 per cent in retail, tackle the 131,000 vacancies that are undermining the delivery of social care, and address staff shortages that are reaching critical levels across the economy.”