THE Employers’ Consultative Association (ECA) says it is “more crucial than ever” to maintain a decent work agenda in light of rapidly evolving technology and the possibility of job displacements owing to artificial intelligence (AI).
As the country observed Labour Day yesterday, the ECA said in a message, “Traditional approaches and textbook strategies to doing business, as well as organising and managing work, simply cannot suffice. The promise and mandate of decent work is perhaps one of the noblest pursuits of our current age. In many ways, it is a multi-faceted and ever-evolving concept that requires continuous assessment and appropriate responses consistent with national economic and social realities.”
The release stated that decent work channels the values of freedom and equity built on a realisation of the fundamental principles and rights at work, equality of access to decent employment and income, enhanced social protection coverage, and strong tripartism (the collaboration among unions, employers and the Government) and social dialogue.
“It requires the creation of employment opportunities, enabled through economic growth and an environment conducive for sustainable enterprises to grow, invest and hire, and which supports entrepreneurship and enterprise creation in the formal economy. A critical component of thriving in the digital age is continuous skill development,” the ECA said.
Since AI can cause job loss and disruption, it should be noted that it can also create new opportunities and new roles requiring new or enhanced skill areas, it stated.
“In this regard, responsive and relevant education systems and training programmes are essential to equip our workforce with the necessary skills to navigate and excel in a digital economy and promote individual resilience, as well as resilient enterprises and economies. Individual investment in skills development and continuous learning will be crucial as the Government and employers also prioritise investments in development opportunities to ensure that our workforce and organisations are prepared for the future,” the release stated.
Disruptions like these are not a new phenomenon and have happened in every age of industrial transformation, it stated.
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