The Work We Need: A 21st Century Imagining

by Hilary Cottam

'Cottam is the humane revolutionary our turbulent century needs - and this book our roadmap to a better future' JONATHAN FREEDLAND, author of THE ESCAPE ARTIST

'Highly recommend - practical and full of human wisdom' FINANCIAL TIMES

'Brimming with ideas to transform the future' KATE RAWORTH, author of DOUGHNUT ECONOMICS

Work, for decades, has been debated and discussed as a narrow economic category. Instead, Hilary Cottam identifies work as a cultural force at the heart of good lives, strong communities and a sense of a shared national destiny. Crucially, in these dramatic times, she shows how we can shape this force to meet technological change, our ecological crisis and the challenges of the world's deep injustices. We can create a work revolution.

Ambitious but rooted in the ideas of everyday experts - real workers from all walks of life - this is a realistic and hopeful book. Hilary Cottam has crossed the UK and the USA; she's spent time in communities considered by outsiders as 'left behind' and in places at the centre of financial and technological power. Drawing on a fascinating range of sources - historians, trade unionists, business leaders, philosophers and most originally, hours of her imaginative workshops with workers - Hilary Cottam boldly how can we redesign work?

Our challenges - political, social, economic and environmental - are tangled and growing. But so are the imaginative solutions. In this exciting, inspiring and optimistic book, Hilary shows us how we could work differently and live better.

'So valuable . . . Hilary Cottam proposes a bold new vision of what the principles underlying 'good work' might be' MARIANA MAZZUCATO, UCL professor and author of MISSION ECONOMY

'Timely . . . guides the changes needed' CARLOTA PEREZ

'Exposes what motivates workers today - not the things most business leaders think - and shows how new thinking would benefit us all. Compelling' MARTHA LANE FOX

'Urgent, compelling and ultimately hopeful . . . Necessary and Inspiring' CAROLINE LUCAS, Green Party MP and author of ANOTHER ENGLAND

Audible Audio

Published May 29, 2025

Reviews

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not much to say about this one, unfortunately. I picked it up because I absolutely loved Hillary Cottam's last book Radical Help and was excited to see how her work had progressed, especially in the work/employment space, but unfortunately this one left me a little bit dissapointed. Where Radical Help felt like it had a clear vision for 21st century welfare reform and something really unique and well-fleshed out to say, The Work We Need felt more like a collection of anecdotes stitched together with a brief history of industrial work reform and a sprinkle of heterodox economics at the end to propose the key thinkers who are imagining a new system. (Loved the Marianna Mazzucato, Carlota Perez, Doughnut Economics triple reference all on the same page, very IIPP-core).

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the way this book challenges us to think creatively and imaginatively about work, what it for and how it could be revolutionised.The things that struck me in particular were:
The failure of management structures to hear the ideas of their workforce
The need for everyone to be engaged in work that is meaningful
A reimagining of when work should take place and how work places should also be centres of learning
The importance of place and how the label ‘left behind’ is problematic and unhelpful
How important social connections are in generating aspiration
An inspiring read and lots of ideas that are possible to implement if we just all had the courage to step outside of e siting systems and structures.

[Isobel Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richly researched and full of interesting ideas, many of which echoes of local workers. Particularly interested in idea of ‘staying behind’ in place as ‘an art, invention and practice’. Aswell as how many workers across Hilary’s pilgrimage talked about transitions, relearning and second chances/opportunities. Oft talk about trainings for yp but interesting call for transition support from state for all ages!

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading Cottam's work provides a refreshing push to think beyond the usual standards. The book is spirited and sensible, and provides useful food for thought. However, there is nothing truly new. The concrete applications remain relatively theoretical and limited in scope. We are not there yet in reimagining work.

[Anna Birch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful and imaginative, the way we work needs to change and this book is an important read in understanding why and potentially how.