ABSTRACT

This chapter considers the development of welfare over the twentieth century, the state came to dominate and occupational welfare declined in importance. It raises some key questions relating to occupational welfare that remain unanswered before concluding with a plea for more research into the area. The chapter examines indicators of how comprehensive occupational welfare is within welfare states. It also considers occupational welfare that is often perceived to be less important and less significant than other forms of welfare provision. The chapter deals with conceptual challenges and definitional problems that surround occupational welfare. Occupational welfare operates to deliver benefits but also costs to governments, employers and employees. Employers use economies of scale to deliver better occupational pensions than could be purchased from individuals from the private sector. The contribution to occupational pensions is not clearly illustrated in labour costs data because it falls between statutory or imputed social contributions in different countries.