“The fourth industrial revolution changes the way we relate to each other, the work we do, the way our economies work, and what it means to be human”
Olfa Soukri Cherif MP, Vice-Chair of the World Bank and IMF Global Parliamentary Network, The Future of Work for the People we Serve 2018, edited by Liam Byrne MP
Sophia Halkidou, founder of Athens-based wellenwide corporate affairs and PR, had the privilege of attending the live debate at the Houses of Parliament in London about "the Future of Work for the People we Serve".
The meeting was organised by UK Parliament’s cross-party think tank on Inclusive Growth and The Parliamentary Network on the World Bank & IMF.
Key questions were addressed and discussed
During the debate new polling on voters’ hopes and fears for the fourth industrial revolution was presented, while critical questions were addressed and discussed:
How do we deal with technological change?
What does the new social contract look like?
How can we see young people as a resource and not as a problem?
Why investing in human capital is part of inclusive growth?
Why mental health issues must be included in the debate of the new social contract?
How the trade unions will maintain their representation when the relation of employment will drastically change?
Why arts and humanities are going to produce great businesses and great leaders of the future?
Why investing in advanced non-routine cognitive and socio-behavioral skills is critical during the fourth industrial revolution?
Lessons for the Future of Work
Liam Byrne MP, Chair of the APPG on Inclusive Growth and Shadow Digital Minister, highlighted the lessons for the Future of Work.
Τo be prepared, governments and corporations need -among others- to:
> understand the impact and opportunity of automation for the country and the market.
> work hard to connect young people to jobs
> develop new strategies to raise employment among women
> rebuild systems for lifelong learning and re-training
> ensure corporate governance is fit for the future
> redouble efforts to unleash the power of enterprise and new firms
A panel of speakers that excel in expertise and have access to key information
The debate brought together key executives of IFM and World Bank Group, reformers across politics, business, trade unions, finance, churches, faith groups and civil society to forge a new consensus on inclusive growth and identify the practical next steps for reform.
Our panelists were:
Liam Byrne MP, Chair of APPG on Inclusive Growth and Shadow Digital Minister
Sheila Redzepi, Vice President for External and Corporate Relations at the World Bank Group,
Jeremy Lefroy, MP, Chair of the Global Parliamentary Network on the World Bank and the IMF,
David Woollcombe, President of Peace Child International
George Freeman MP, Co-chair of the APPG on Inclusive Growth
Lily Cole, Co-founder of Impossible.com
Jeffrey Franks, Director of the IMF Europe Office and Senior Resident Representative to the European Union
Jakob Kopperud, Special Representative to UK & Ireland at World Bank Group
Jack Tadman, Senior Research Executive at Opinium
Antonia Bance, Head of Campaigns and Communications at TUC (Trades Union Congress)
Rain Newton-Smith, Chief Economist at the CBI
Michael Jacobs, Professorial Research Fellow at Sheffield Political Economy Research Institute (SPERI)
Torsten Bell, Director of the Resolution Foundation
"Being part of the Future of Work debate was a privileged moment, quotes Sophia Halkidou, founder of wellenwide corporate affairs & PR. "IMF research demonstrates that technological advances and globalization drive growth, however at the same time, it can drive income inequality. Automation will change work forever. We are on the verge of the fourth industrial revolution, and there is a lot to be done in the workplace to secure a fair share of growth."
Sources
The Future of Work for the People we Serve (THE PARLIAMENTARY NETWORK, On the World Bank & International Monetary Fund, edited by Liam Byrne MP)
The Human Capital Project (WORLD BANK GROUP)