The Covid-19 pandemic has provoked significant disruption to labour markets across both the UK and the EU, as employment rates decreased rapidly in response to falling demand. The UK saw unemployment rates rise from 4% to 5.2% in December 2020, whilst EU unemployment rose from 6.3% in March 2020, peaking at 7.7% in September 2020. Although levels of unemployment in both the UK and EU have begun to return to pre-pandemic levels in recent months, they still remain elevated. The UK is also suffering from what has been termed a ‘participation gap’ in the labour force, with older demographics not returning to work and younger people choosing to stay in education. The recovery of the EU labour market, however, is likely to be obstructed by lower vaccination rates in Eastern European countries, exacerbating weak economic performance and poor labour prospects.

The pandemic saw employees largely transition to home working, prompting a long-term change to the nature of employment in the UK and EU. Around half of UK employees now work flexibly in some form, whilst 90% say they want flexibility in their next position. Similarly, according to Forrester data, by summer 2021, 49% of employees from the five largest European countries claimed to prefer working from home. Proposals by the UK government to allow employees a day-one right to request flexible working are currently undergoing consultation, however employees across the UK and EU still face employers that are reluctant to make flexible working the new norm. Additionally, although the European Social Pillar of Rights Action Plan has set out to recognise this post-pandemic reality, particularly through an updated framework for health and safety at work, EU commentators have criticised the new framework on the basis that it fails to properly address the psychosocial wellbeing of those working remotely.

Moreover, in some instances flexible working has been shown to lead to exploitation, with the continued rise of the gig economy and zero-hour contracts. In England and Wales, the number of adults working for gig economy companies has more than doubled in the last five years, whilst 11% of the EU workforce is reported to have engaged in ‘platform work’. Although such work offers greater flexibility, employees tend to experience lower pay and poorer working conditions. Whilst the EU have made specific provision for platform workers in their Action Plan, in a post-Brexit UK, workers have called for greater protection. Although the Employment Bill is currently undergoing its second reading in the House of Commons, the government has been accused of ‘dragging its heels’.

Most significantly for the future of employment is what has been termed the ‘digital transformation’. As customer and employee demands have evolved, particularly since the beginning of the pandemic, new technologies have become far more dominant. In the UK, 65% of GDP is expected to be digitised by 2022, whilst the European Commission’s 2022 Work Programme aims to support a digital transition by 2030. Whilst many are sceptical of increased automation through artificial intelligence on the basis of its potential to reduce job opportunities, data suggests that four out of ten jobs created in the past ten years were in digital-intensive sectors, whilst countries experiencing declines in unemployment tended to see job loss in less digitally intensive sectors. It is, therefore, essential that policymakers across the UK and EU address these concerns and manage the transition effectively, seeking to create new job opportunities and help the workforce acquire the skills necessary to benefit from increased opportunity. This is of growing importance as the UK and EU both aim for net zero, as the digital transformation is thought to be key to an efficient, green future.

As the pandemic subsides and the long-term ramifications of Covid-19 for UK and EU labour forces become more apparent, this symposium will provide an invaluable opportunity to explore the changing nature of employment and develop innovative strategies to ensure a smooth transition into a future of flexible and digital labour.

Programme

• Assess the impact of Covid-19 on labour markets across the EU and UK
• Discuss how governments can best ensure ‘decent work’, clarity for employers and workers, and fair enforcement in the employment market and with employment law
• Analyse the impact of the European Social Pillar of Rights Action Plan on the future of employment in the EU
• Evaluate the UK’s Employment Bill and the extent to which this will sufficiently address challenges in employment, discussing the possibility for further legislative reform
• Examine the impact of technological developments on the jobs market, considering the potential for further innovation in the future
• Understand the role of the major tech companies in driving current and future economic changes
• Share best practice for both government and business in embracing new technologies and creating secure, well-paid jobs for the future
• Consider the importance of digital transformation in the journey towards net zero
• Explore different forms of welfare systems and their relevance for coming changes
• Discuss the rise of the gig economy and zero hour contracts consider the role of such work in the future of developed economies
• Understand the impact of Covid-19 on flexible working practices, evaluating the benefits and drawbacks of giving employees a right to flexible working
• Develop strategies to support those who become unemployed, enabling them to quickly find new jobs in the same or a new industry
• Analyse the role of higher education, further education and apprenticeships in supporting the future jobs market

Speakers:

• Professor Abigail Marks, Professor of the Future of Work at Newcastle University Business School

If you or your colleagues would like to attend this webinar, please fill in your details in the attached registration form and send it back to me ; I will confirm your place(s) and drop you an email with all the details shortly.

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