Working Paper No. 5 - Indicators of Social Dialogue: Concepts and Measurements

Social dialogue, one of the main components of decent work, is the process of information and opinion exchange amongst employer, worker, and government representatives to consult, negotiate, and reach agreements on issues that concern them, which reflects the global diversity of the labour relations system. However, measuring social dialogue and the extent to which it exists in a country remains difficult, and therefore it is in need of its own set of statistical indicators that bring significant and useful data. This paper proposes that data collection and interpretation of social dialogue can be made by separating the subject into the following indicator categories: associational structure, wage setting arrangements, participation in public policy, and firm-level employee representation. The data collection method would entail detailed standardized questionnaires filled out by country experts and that indicators be as specific as possible. Eventually, data collection that maximizes objectivity, validity, and reliability through meticulous central guidance and monitoring, can be extremely useful for research and policy making of a country that aid in development overall.