ILO highlights productivity ecosystem for decent work at forum in Jamaica

KINGSTON, Jamaica (ILO News) - The International Labour Organization (ILO) emphasized the critical relationship between productivity growth and decent work during the Jamaica Productivity Centre’s Annual Productivity Forum on 14 August 2025. The event, themed “Culture driven productivity: Shaping mindsets for resilience, innovation and partnerships,” brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and development partners to explore strategies for building a more competitive and inclusive economy.

Representing the ILO, Abdelmalik Muhummed, Employment and Labour Market Specialist at the ILO’s Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean, delivered a virtual presentation on the ILO’s productivity ecosystem for decent work, describing it as “a systemic, integrated and wholistic approach s for recapitulating the relationship between decent work and productivity, particularly with regard to improving living standards and economic growth.” He underscored that while productivity growth and decent work are inherently connected, the relationship involves complex, interconnected factors that require strategic coordination at the national, sectoral and enterprise levels.

The ILO's three-tier productivity ecosystem for decent work comprises macro (national), meso (sectoral), and micro (enterprise) levels and provides a practical guide for addressing barriers to better jobs and productivity growth. At the national level, productivity-enhancing policy environment is identified and supported through social dialogue, robust employment frameworks and enabling laws and regulations. Sector-wide interventions focus on providing analysis and recommendations to promote structural change towards higher productivity and better jobs and to increase the economic complexity of production systems. At the enterprise level, businesses receive support through management training, digital tools, and practices that enhance working conditions while boosting productivity.

A central theme of the Mr. Muhummed’s presentation was the importance of tailoring industrial policy to a country’s economic context. Developing countries gain more by targeting high-productivity sectors to accelerate growth, while developed economies benefit from horizontal policies that strengthen innovation and skills across all sectors. Balancing investments between high-productivity industries and those with strong growth potential is essential for maximizing output, creating jobs, and reducing inequality.

“Policymakers must balance maximizing productivity with promoting employment and reducing inequality,” the ILO Specialist stated, emphasizing the need for strategies that align competitiveness with social equity. He further highlighted that strengthening supply-side capabilities, including energy infrastructure and advanced IT systems, lay the foundation for long-term economic efficiency and inclusive prosperity, reinforcing the connection between decent work, productivity, and sustainable development.

Mr Muhummed challenged conventional definitions and measures of productivity as the current measurement approaches do not paint the full picture of the complexity and relationship between productivity and contribution of skills and education as well as the environment. He stressed that better measurement systems and capacity building at all levels are necessary to implement the productivity ecosystem for decent work.

The Forum also featured a distinguished lineup of regional and international speakers. Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., Minister of Labour and Social Security, delivered the keynote address, while Jonathan Isaacs launched the JPC Productivity Toolkit to provide practical resources for productivity enhancement. Additional presentations were made by Benny Salo of UNCTAD, Dwayne K-P Stevens of DigitalREV, and Kara Boyce, Change Management Consultant and Executive Coach.

As Jamaica advances its economic resilience, innovation capacity, and competitive positioning, the ILO remains a committed partner ensuring that productivity growth initiatives are firmly anchored in decent work principles, employment policies, and social dialogue to achieve shared prosperity.