The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the world of work, heavily impacting the well-being of workers and their families, exposing a number of sectors to the crisis and aggravating the existing inequalities in the labour market. Previous global crises have demonstrated the undeniable importance of social protection in economic development and the recovery process. The systems approach to social protection is the key to recovery efforts. This paper provides an assessment of how social protection systems can be reviewed and strengthened to fulfil their role as economic and social stabilizers during the crisis recovery and as integral elements of further economic growth.