Future of work: 3 ways public-private partnerships can help build a prosperous and inclusive future

The Future of Work is not a long way away: it is happening here and now.

Platform workers who deliver food to our doorstep, the use of AI in hospitals and widening consumer demand for sustainably-produced products are examples of how the world of work has changed over the past decade and will continue to evolve.

We must seize opportunities and cope with major challenges affecting the labour market and the world of work - such as demographic changes, the shift to digital life, (de)globalization, the green transition and migration flows.

It is crystal clear that we must be able to continuously adapt to mould today's economy into tomorrow's economy. This requires a clear vision, entrepreneurship, social cohesion, decent work and social justice.

Acknowledging the enormous impact of work on society and individuals, I believe that when companies and governments join forces, we will be able to create a prosperous and inclusive future. Let me describe three ways that public-private partnerships will prove to be the driver for the Future of Work and, consequently, a better future for all.

First and foremost, we need to champion the people perspective. I am deeply convinced that countries can only do well if all of their citizens do well. All people of working age deserve a fair chance to make a living through decent work and fully develop their skills and talents.

This implies a labour market based on equity and social justice. So, what does this mean in practice? It means effective labour law that protects the interests of workers without impeding companies’ growth, promoting normative standards that ensure workers’ rights and create a level playing field in the globalized market, providing access to childcare and healthcare whilst also ensuring social protection for those who cannot participate in the work process.

For companies: refusing to participate in a race to the bottom. Instead, you should value your most important source of growth: your workforce. Think inclusive recruitment. Think of paying fair wages. Think of possibilities for flexible hours and remote working. A people perspective should be at the start and the heart of our actions.

Secondly, governments and companies must complement each other in the field of lifelong learning and skill transitions needed for the ever-changing nature of work.

Governments should have a clear vision of that future and how to shape it. And there’s no doubt that it should be greener, more inclusive and take advantage of all that digitalization holds for us. Consequently, governments should incentivize education and skill development towards those aims, both financially (tax incentives, subsidies) and regulatory, for instance, by enabling skill acknowledgement across borders.

Governments should also provide (data-driven) insights into the needed skills transition and cooperate with companies to gather those insights.

In turn, companies could encourage their employees by prioritizing their adaptability, for instance, by offering training programmes and apprenticeships that enable them to remain fit for (the future of) work and the transitions ahead. Companies should also want to invest in their workers’ adaptability: it fuels their job satisfaction and empowers people to choose different career paths if that’s what they prefer.

Thirdly, it should be no surprise that a Dutch Minister would advocate for strong social dialogue. Daily, I experience the benefits of 'polderen' [Dutch culture of governing via negotiations and consensus] in my own country and internationally, such as in the International Labour Organization.

With the changing forms of work, as well as the large informal sector in many parts of the world, it's a task for both governments and companies to strengthen worker and employer representation. Giving a voice to everyone is not a notion of 'charity' but benefits people, companies and societies as a whole.

It leads to innovation, inclusion, fair circumstances, motivated workers and, all in all, thriving societies.

This brings me back to the people-centred approach. Governments, businesses, workers, trade unions, and whichever organization we represent, we cannot operate alone, and we need to listen and take account of each other’s ideas, concerns and dreams.

We need to ask ourselves and each other what is the future we want? What do we want our societies to look like? These are questions for all of us and only together will we be able to shape that future.

Karien van Gennip is a member of the Jobs Consortium – a global coalition of Ministers, CEOs and other leaders with a common vision for a better future of work for all. Find out more about the Jobs Consortium here. Ministers can also improve the state of work in their country by co-chairing a Jobs Accelerator. Find out more about the World Economic Forum’s Accelerators Network here.

This is a video from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos 2023 where H.E. Karien van Gennip, Minister of Labour and Social Affairs of the Netherlands; Sander van't Noordende, CEO of Randstad Holding; Christy Hoffman, General Secretary of UNI Global Union and Adam Grant, Saul P. Steinberg Professor of Management and Psychology, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, discuss the merits of the four-day week.