In a rapidly changing world, the future of work hinges on the degree to which workers and businesses are engaged in the twin digital and green transitions. Recognising the need for a dedicated space to anticipate questions on the future of work, the Directorate General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion and the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation have proposed a joint ERA4FutureWork initiative for Member States to discuss research and innovation (R & I) priorities. Through this initiative, the European Commission facilitated a dialogue between policymakers, social partners and stakeholders from academia, vocational education and training providers, at both the Member State and European levels, and discussed best practices and research priorities for the future of work. This study is the outcome of these consultations and thus provides an overview of the current state of R & I on the future of work, highlighting existing efforts and identifying areas for further research. The main objective of this document is to examine gaps in R & I among Member States across four major research streams extensively discussed under the ERA4FutureWork initiative.
These four streams are as follows:
• The green transition and working life. This stream explores ways to combine economic goals with environmental and social sustainability and innovation to reduce industry’s environmental footprint and to address rising inequalities among workers.
• Facing an increasingly digital world of work. This stream aims to understand how human-centric technologies can ensure that innovation serves workers’ needs, involving workers in new technology design and application and promoting well-being and mental health in the workplace.
• The twin transitions and vulnerable groups. This stream focuses on anticipating drivers of future inequalities to avoid creating new vulnerable groups and addresses the issues faced by existing vulnerable workers.
• The future of work in EU public administrations. This stream investigates the challenges of digitalisation and new working arrangements in public administrations and the need for governments to reinforce their employment strategies.
This report was originally published by the
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