Decent work is crucial for an individual’s life development and well-being. The psychology of working theory defines the relationship between micro and macro factors that might be strongly influenced by the context. The aim of this research was to study how people working in the formal and informal economy in Burkina Faso describe their working conditions and the notion of decent work and how economic constraints and marginalisation influence work volition, decent work and work fulfilment using a mixed method approach. A study shows that above and beyond the usual components, social recognition is an especially important aspect of decent work in this context (N = 51). A second study shows that economic constraints and marginalisation factors have an impact on obtaining a decent work, mediated by work volition, both being related to work fulfilment outcomes (N = 501). Results suggest that the objective and subjective components of decent work might refer to two aspects of the same reality.