A systematic mixed studies review of decent work literature: implications for research and policy

Purpose Interest in decent work research has been increasing among scholars. However, existing reviews have focused on context specificities such as industries, methods, samples and locations. This study provides holistic and up-to-date insights into emerging decent work themes to advance theory and inform policy. Design/methodology/approach A systematic mixed studies review approach was employed following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) to comprehensively review 98 decent work studies published in 40 journals between 2006 and 2024 across 193 countries. Findings The analysis revealed eight core themes: conceptualization of decent work, decent work profiles, decent work antecedents, decent work outcomes, mediators of decent work, moderators of decent work, cross-context decent work conditions and decent work enhancement strategies. Originality/value Unlike existing reviews that have context-specific restrictions such as industries, methods, samples and locations, which may fail to capture the broader scope of the decent work literature, this review provides methodologically inclusive, contextually diverse and multi-level evidence syntheses of the decent work literature.