31 January 2018

 

IOE prepares for the jobs of the future with the G7

 

IOE, IOE Member - Canadian Employers' Council (CEC), BIAC and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce brought the voice of business to the G7 Employment preparatory meeting in Ottawa, which took place on 29 January 2018.

 

What are the main themes that will shape the G7 in 2018?

Canada takes over the G7 Presidency this year with the following five main themes: 

  1. Investing in growth that works for everyone
  2. Preparing for jobs of the future
  3. Working together on climate change, oceans and clean energy
  4. Building a more peaceful and secure world
  5. Advancing gender equality and women's empowerment

Themes 1-4 will be covered through G7 Ministerial meetings with Ministers of Employment and Innovation. The fifth theme on advancing gender equality and women's empowerment is a cross cutting issue that will be covered in all other themes. On 23 January 2018, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the creation of the Gender Equality Advisory Council for Canada's G7 Presidency.

 

What did business contribute to the G7 Employment Preparatory Meeting?

Business and labour representatives were invited to contribute to the theme on preparing for jobs of the future. The open conversation centered on four main issues, described further in the discussion notes (available from the side panel):

  • Establising a context of the evolving labour market and changing economy
  • Partnerships: pathway to successfully adapting to the changing nature of work
  • Inclusive growth: sharing opportunities and benefits
  • Facilitating transition to a new employment landscape

 

What were business' key messages to the G7?

  1. The Future of Work should be viewed first and foremost as an opportunity
  2. Diverse forms of work require a regulatory framework that allows for flexibility in the labour market to accommodate for trends and developments we cannot yet foresee
  3. Focus on skills development, continuous learning and global talent mobility are needed to provide business with the workforce it needs
  4. Social protection and social benefits should be decoupled from the job and linked to the individual
  5. A more diverse workforce adds to economic growth with the advancement of women at work requiring more leadership and continuous focus
  6. A strong and constructive social dialogue is needed with more partnerships between governments, business and education institutions

 

What's next?

The Ministerial meeting on "preparing for jobs of the future" will take place in Montreal from 26-28 March 2018. The G7 Summit will take place in Charlevoix, Quebec on 8-9 June 2018.

 
 
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