108
Who determines the legal and governance frameworks as well as the (ethical) conditions on how technologies are developed, deployed, and implemented and how can we make these decisions more democratic? What legal gaps need to be identified and filled in order to protect the labor market and society from any negative effects of technology? What aspects and practices from international law can help mitigate the impact of technology and automation on workers and the labour market?
The impact of technology is often seen as a technical, economical or efficiency debate. However, the importance for the labour market and humans lies in the ethical, fairness and governance aspects. We should focus on that since technology will not be stopped. We will however have to guide the impact it has on society. Greater […]
48
How do automation and digitization impact income inequality of different income groups? How can workers from all backgrounds benefit from technological innovations in the world of work?
The growing digital divide will impact future generations ability to be part of economic opportunity and prosperity. In Las Vegas, it is estimated that 40% of local households lack internet and/or devices other than smart phones at home. As schools were shuttered for the current pandemic, this digital divide is a huge barrier for over […]
43
In what ways will technology and automation widen or narrow gaps between developed and developing nations? What steps can developing countries take to harness and apply new technologies?
Technology and skill development is key for developing countries to take advantage of new technologies. Some developing countries are doing better in this regard than others. Good practices that can be replicated may show paths to take advantage of new technologies. Huge labor productivity gaps (related, among others, to technology and skill gaps) are key […]
40
How can we determine the value of skills relevant to the future of work marketplace and how can we increase the value of human labor in the 21st century marketplace?
The debate around the potential for job automation and its impact on the labour market is mainly built around scenarios that try to estimate how many jobs will be lost due to technology. We need a more sophisticated lens to interpret how technologies will impact the labour market and what kind of impact, as society, […]
35
What are the economic and social costs and benefits for modernizing worker support systems and providing social protection (eg. paid family leave and subsidized child care) for workers of all employment backgrounds (e.g., particularly women, part-time and informal work)?
Current worker support systems such as unemployment insurance, retirement plans, skills development, health insurance and others have changed very little since their creation decades ago. At the same time, the evolution of the workforce and its changing relationship with business has resulted in substantial disruptions in traditional employment areas, including workplace training, alternative work arrangements, […]
33
How can we demonstrate the relationship between skills gain and economic mobility? What characteristics of retraining programs produce equitable outcomes for workers – across a range of demographic and professional characteristics – and what is the impact of these educational/training programs and vocational schooling?
Our communities currently have wide disparities in educational and professional outcomes for racial and ethnic minorities. The future of work will demand workers to continuously pursue education so that they can keep up, retain their jobs, or assume jobs at comparable levels in new fields. The growing need for more education threatens to exacerbate existing […]
31
What new systems of education and training are needed for workers to reap gains from technology and automation?
The hierarchical approach to career development relies on years of experience, formal education certification and degrees, career ladders, etc. New technologies break down the age, meritocracy, and institutional barriers to enterprise and career development. In the U.S. there is no pipeline or synergy between workforce training and institutions of vocational and higher education. The lack […]
26
What factors currently hinder women's participation in the labor force? How do these barriers impact women's work in the future and their career trajectories? What policies or programs can facilitate women's work and remove barriers to their work and careers?
Previous systemic barriers to women's ability to advance in workplace settings are driving greater negative disproportionate impacts on women. Gaps in gender equality across workplaces may also be further exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis.
24
What is the impact of current use of AI on diversity and equity in the labor force? How can AI be used to increase the participation of underrepresented groups (i.e., women, Black people, Latinx people, and low-income communities, etc.)? What aspects/strategies have proven most effective in reducing AI biases?
With a large number of jobs opening up due to workforce replacement and economic growth–projections show that by 2030, the American workforce will need to fill 83 million jobs, people of color will play a key role in shaping the American workforce. By 2030, 54% of new workers will be people of color. But as […]
19
What does a resilient labour force to shocks (ex. technological, financial, health) look like?
Technological change is inevitable in the long terms, but as we think about the successive waves of technological disruption to come (5G networks, quantum computing), how can we use data to better identify early warnings, the stressors, risks, and uncertainties of digital disruption and a people's degree of exposure to them in a way that […]
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