Background

Innovation and technological change are transforming economies and societies while generating new paths to achieving prosperity and development. These processes may disrupt existing forms of work and the current mix of occupations; simultaneously, they are creating new forms of work and new occupations, thereby transforming the nature and organization of work. Against a backdrop of profound demographic imbalances with ageing cohorts in some countries,  exploding youth populations in others and complex challenges resulting from deepening environmental constraints, the outcomes for businesses, workers and societies become increasingly hard to predict and plan against.

Where will the jobs come from and what will they look like?  This panel will focus on that critical question by discussing the interplay of technological innovations, structural transformation, economic development and social change, and how these interlinked processes are expected to shape the future of work, particularly in relation to the longstanding policy commitment to full employment. Whether traditional policy levels for economic and employment policy remain relevant is a further consideration. Panellists will also address the role of governments, social partners and other groups in guiding and shaping this process for the next generation. They will focus on the policies and institutions necessary to ensure that innovation and technological advances create new and better forms of work.