In 2020, the global workforce lost an equivalent of 255 million full-time jobs, an estimated $3.7 trillion in wages and 4.4% of global GDP, a staggering toll on lives and livelihoods. While vaccine rollout has begun and the growth outlook is predicted to improve, an even socio-economic recovery is far from certain.
The choices made by policymakers, business leaders, workers and learners today will shape societies for years to come. At this critical crossroads, leaders must consciously, proactively and urgently lay the foundations of a new social contract, rebuilding our economies so they provide opportunity for all.
In this context, the Forum remains committed to working with the public- and private sectors to provide better skills, jobs and education to 1 billion people by 2030 through initiatives to close the skills gap and prepare for the ongoing technological transformation of the future of work.
Leaders need hard data to make the hard decisions about sustainability
Companies need a measurement framework if they are to meet their sustainability commitments
4 ways great leaders can build courageous, passionate teams
From harnessing the power of social networks to avoiding ‘collaboration overload’, managers need to find and keep the right people to thrive in a complex working world.
Why humans will remain central to the future of work
Don't sweat the robot revolution. Our jobs may change, but human skills such as imagination and ingenuity will continue to be key.
Scientists are using machine learning to unlock the mysteries of long-dead languages
Modern technology could help us decipher the script on ancient Mesopotamian tablets and give us a glimpse into everyday life circa 3,000 BC.
Kenya is planning to teach Chinese in its elementary schools
The plans are part of a wider initiative to increase job prospects and levels of connectivity between young Kenyans and China.
How South Korea is using gender equality to fix its demographic crisis
South Korea is introducing a raft of measures to show women more respect, designed to encourage them to have more children.
This is why improving access to surgery during childbirth is vital
A study in Uganda on the cost-effectiveness of surgery for women suffering from obstetric fistula in childbirth estimated the number of years lost to disability could drop from 8.53 to 1.51.
Why people with disabilities are your company’s untapped resource
People with disabilities can be a goldmine of hidden skills. That's why it's no longer economically viable to keep them locked out of the workforce.
We have to fight for a fairer tech industry for women
Women are employed in the majority of AI-threatened roles – while recruitment practices in tech favour men. To achieve parity in this key industry, we must act now.
This is our chance to completely redefine the meaning of work
How meaningful is your work? Author and economist Rutger Bregman argues that amid a rise in “socially useless jobs” there’s an opportunity to completely redefine the meaning of work and l...
New board game asks 'Who's She?' to spotlight famous women in history
Did she win a Nobel Prize? Was she an inventor? Did she make a discovery?
How to fight back against misinformation and polarization
Information literacy is no longer a soft skill - it's a survival skill. When citizens can pick out credible sources, a common fact base can be established. This allows people to engage pr...