<ul class="summary-list"><li>Automation, social issues, and the growth of green industries due to net-zero climate goals are all putting a strain on the world's workforce. </li><li><keyword id="11902211" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="world-economic-forum" source="Orion">World Economic Forum</keyword> panelists discussed how improved education programs and management structures could contribute to an improved future for workers. </li></ul>Tomorrow's workforce will face new levels of change and stress, thanks to factors such as "the green revolution" and the aging population, according to a panel of government ministers and experts that spoke today at the World Economic Forum in <keyword id="12777989" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="davos" source="Orion">Davos</keyword>.Upskilling workers, improving social services, and even reshaping the nature of work itself will be the essential ingredients in building a sustainable global workforce for decades to come. <h2>Future-proofing through skills training</h2>By the mid-2030s, <a href="https://www.pwc.co.uk/services/economics/insights/the-impact-of-automation-on-jobs.html">44% of workers</a> with low education are at risk of losing their jobs to machines. But government ministers from Sweden and Canada told the Davos panel that through virtual training programs and new jobs, automation, and artificial intelligence are set to create more opportunities than it takes away. "Technology is a great enabler," said Canada's minister of innovation, science and industry, François-Phillipe Champagne. Nonetheless, both ministers admitted that there remains one big issue when it comes to automation: ensuring there are enough skilled workers to keep things running. "Robots are going to be key to increasing productivity," Champagne said. The challenge will be investing in upskilling and reskilling the workers whose jobs will become redundant, he added. Ongoing national education and training programs will be crucial, particularly as countries adapt to the "green transition," and encouraging worker migration to industrial hubs may also prove critical. "After 10 to 15 years of giving subsidies to people to move to Stockholm to get jobs, now we have to think of how to get people to more from Stockholm or Gothenburg to the northern part of Sweden where the new industrial jobs are being created," Mikael Damberg, Sweden's minister of finance, said.In well-populated nations like Bangladesh, however, governments will need to ensure there is enough work to go around. "Our population is one of our biggest strengths, and we need to transform this big population into a big human resource," Dipu Moni, minister of education in Bangladesh said. Education, and giving people not just "technological know-how" but the skill of being able to constantly adapt to the changing nature of work itself is the only way to do this, said Moni.<h2>The shifting shape of work </h2>Yet this uncertainty about the <keyword id="11896064" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="future-of-work" source="Orion">future of work</keyword> may be exacerbating the already-growing worldwide <a href="https://www.who.int/health-topics/mental-health#tab=tab_1">mental health crisis</a>, one that disproportionately affects the world's poor — <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/suicide">77%</a> of global suicides occur in middle- and low-income countries — and has had a knock-on effect on employment and employability. According to Jos De Blok, founder of Dutch healthcare organization Buurtzorg, "we are creating depression through working conditions." Workplaces must restructure, remove bureaucratic administration systems, allow for flexible working, and give workers the chance to manage themselves, in order to reduce negative health outcomes and produce a happy, productive workforce, he told the crowd at Davos.This will also give workers a sense of purpose, which can help circumvent mental health issues, as Champagne put it, "people don't just want a job, they want something that will be meaningful in their lives." Workplace issues cannot be disentangled from social issues and paying attention to not just worker's health but gender inequality and disability issues is pivotal to future-proofing work systems, panelists said. A World Economic Forum report released today found that a new modeling of the United States' economy would see an investment of $1.3 trillion into social jobs like teaching, healthcare, and education, which could unlock $3.1 trillion in GDP returns and create 11 million jobs by 2030. While Champagne urged the room that we should "empower the people," and treat social jobs with the value they deserve, De Blok countered, "But are we willing to reward them? Are we willing to increase their salaries?" He told the audience that when it comes to caring for employees, "we need to put trust and humanity at the center."

The global workforce faces huge levels of stress and change, according to a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The first day of the <keyword id="11902211" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="world-economic-forum" source="Orion">World Economic Forum</keyword>'s conference in <keyword id="12777989" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="davos" source="Orion">Davos</keyword> saw NGOs, pharmaceutical companies, and institutions come together to discuss how to build resilient healthcare. </li><li>Poverty, inaccessible primary healthcare, and a focus on cures over prevention are drivers of ongoing inequity.</li></ul>The <keyword id="11896136" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="pandemic" source="Orion">pandemic</keyword> shone a light on health inequalities; now it's time to ramp up efforts to close the healthcare gap. So said panel speakers at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos today. After a two-year hiatus due to Covid-19, the conference is back. But the pandemic remains high in the minds of event speakers, who asked how the world can adapt policies, partnerships, and practices in order to deliver access to uninterrupted care for all, in the face of future health crises. During the pandemic, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-022-01297-8">high-income </a>countries were able to vaccinate 75 - 85% of their populations within a year of receiving the first vaccine supplies. But the number of those vaccinated in low-income countries was less than 10%, said Jayasree K. Iyer, CEO of Access to Medicine Foundation, in a panel discussion. "The Covid-19 pandemic has definitely put a spotlight on a chronic issue in healthcare: inequity of access," she said, adding "and the inequity is huge — we often forget that 80% of the world's population lives in middle and low-income countries." A lack of access to vaccines and medicines is a persisting issue. But so too is the availability of products such as life-saving medical oxygen, which Iyer calls "a long-neglected issue in the healthcare crisis." Globally, those living in poverty have always been <a href="https://www.euro.who.int/en/media-centre/sections/fact-sheets/2022/environmental-health-inequalities-fact-sheet-series-2022">more at risk</a> of poor health and disease. Inadequate nutrition, poor housing conditions, sanitation, and drinking water all contribute to negative health outcomes. Now, global conflicts and climate change are leading to an increase in migration, which has had a knock-on effect on access to healthcare too. <h2>Finding solutions </h2>When it comes to solutions, those such as Leif Johansson, chairman of the board for AstraZeneca, see a reason for optimism. "I am impressed with how India is beginning to use digital to enhance healthcare, especially when you come out to the rural areas," he told Davos attendees, adding, "over time, artificial intelligence will open up a large amount of low-cost healthcare opportunities." Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, also joined the panel and explained that in his Indian state, new healthcare policies aim not only to make a doctor available for each citizen but also to ensure that those on low incomes have access to insurance. But more is needed to close the health gap. A combination of good governance, future-proofing global trade agreements, and a consideration of inequities early on in the pharmaceutical research stages are necessary to ensure resilience against future disease outbreaks. "We definitely need to see closer collaboration between industry public partners and non-profit organizations, said Iyer. She added that involving patients in product development processes and considering access issues early in the research stage could mitigate future inequities, taking the strain off healthcare systems further down the line.Above all else, attendees agreed that to scale up and adapt healthcare in a way that ensures equal access for all, the focus must be shifted from curative care — treating an individual who is already sick — to preventative care. "We are spending 97% of all healthcare on curative mode and only 3% in prevention," said Johansson. "That's absolutely wrong — we all seem to agree on that; every panel I go to, we agree on that, and then we go home and do nothing," he told the crowd. <h2>Beyond health </h2>However, even if panel members 'do something', inequalities in healthcare may persist for as long as global economic disparities do."We need debt cancellation," said UN Aid Director, Winnie Byanyima, who took to the microphone during audience question time. During the pandemic, debt repayments for low-income countries were several times more than that of healthcare spending, she said, with Africa's debt repayments amounting to nine times that than which the continent was able to spend on investing in health. Without first fixing economic issues, there are no healthcare solutions, she urged the room, saying, "we need to get rules of finance, rules of trade, and rules of tax to work for developing countries if we are going to come out of a health crisis and an economic crisis."

Global healthcare gaps persist because of growing economic inequities, said experts speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The number of years it will take to achieve <keyword id="12021081" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="gender" source="Orion">gender</keyword> parity has increased to 135, according to a new <keyword id="11902211" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="world-economic-forum" source="Orion">World Economic Forum</keyword> report.</li><li>At an Open Forum session in Davos, leaders and change-makers met to discuss the report and to convene on what is needed to push through change.</li></ul>At an Open Forum session in Davos, industry leaders, NGOs, and politicians convened to discuss the global outlook for gender equity. The session ran on the heels of a recent World Economic Forum <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/03/international-womens-day-gender-gap-inequality/">report</a> that says it will take 135 years to close the global gender gap if we continue to move at the current pace. The gap, which measures how long it will take to achieve gender parity, has widened since the last time it was recorded. Although some progress has been made in the fields of education and health, Open Forum panelists agreed that policymakers must prioritize political empowerment and economic opportunity if we are to make real headway."There was a great belief that if we close the health gaps, if we closed the education gaps, then naturally, the economic and political gaps would close — turns out there isn't anything natural about it," Laura Liswood, Secretary-General of the Council of Women World Leader,s told Davos attendees. Affirmative action mechanisms have been useful in getting historically marginalized groups into governments and businesses. But, "they definitely have an upgrade problem," said Liswood. "You can get them in, but for some reason, you can't get them up [the ladder]."<h2>Political empowerment </h2>Ensuring there are enough women in leadership roles, especially in <keyword id="11893346" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="politics" source="Orion">politics</keyword>, will prove critical to making the future more gender-inclusive. Yet across <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/03/international-womens-day-gender-gap-inequality/">156 countries</a> the report surveyed, women represented 26% of about 35,500 parliament seats and around 23% of more than 3,400 ministers worldwide.Philipp Wilhelm, Mayor of Davos, told the Open Forum that he has always found it harder to motivate women to take up political roles. "But if you don't give up, and if you look for women, you will find women who will candidate," he said. Pushing through affirmative measures in his Swiss municipality resulted in 16 women out of 26 candidates in total running for recent council elections. However, as fellow panelist, poet, and outgoing curator of Oakland Hub, Samantha Akwei, said, "You can put a woman in a position of power, but that doesn't equate to her having power." Women must not only enter politics but policies and laws must also change if we are to close the gender divide. Discriminatory laws include those around maternity leave that prioritize women as caregivers and place less value on their roles in the workplace, as well as laws around property ownership and inheritance rights, safety, and mobility around the world. "There are still over 100 countries that have some discriminatory laws in place around economic participation," said Liswood. "From hours you can work to amount of weight you can lift, there are all kinds of examples that have subtle impacts." Improving economic opportunity and participation is a prerogative, agreed attendees.<h2>Economic participation </h2>With <a href="https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WP/Issues/2019/05/06/Is-Technology-Widening-the-Gender-Gap-Automation-and-the-Future-of-Female-Employment-46684">11%</a> of the jobs currently held by women at risk of automation, policymakers must embrace a targeted approach to reskilling women."We know economic empowerment for women globally helps to reinforce their status in a home. It reduces gender-based violence, it reduces unwanted pregnancies," said Liswood. But even income disparities within industries are still not yet bridged. And with the suspension of caregiving and education systems during the pandemic, many women's economic situations have worsened in recent years, the panel heard. In response, Akwei advocated for a "wisdom economy" that champions the kinds of soft skills many women are taught from a young age. The experts also called for policies that encourage more young girls to aspire to STEM careers. "We've now managed to get the girls into schools. But are we getting them into careers that have been traditionally considered male-centered ones?" Angela Oduor Lungati, executive director of Ushahidi Inc, asked the room. From facing discrimination at daycare in Switzerland to trying to recruit more women entrepreneurs in Brazil, Open Forum audience members came forward with their own stories of trying and failing to tackle gender-based discrimination, asking panelists how they could end the gender gaps they witness day-to-day.Mentorship schemes and sponsorships may go some way to making these shifts, the panel advised. But we can only go so far as a global community without a fundamental shift in mindset. A new framing around women's social and economic roles is one that will benefit everyone, they said."<keyword id="11907055" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="gender-equality" source="Orion">Gender equality</keyword> is for all genders," said Liswood. "Because if it's unequal for some women, it's unequal for some men, your institutions are unequal in some way." She added that while privilege may vary depending on who you are, "we all need to get a better handle on gender parity issues — it's not a zero-sum game."

Gender parity is 135 years away, unless we speed up progress in politics and economics, according to a World Economic Forum panel

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A panel convening at the <keyword id="11902211" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="world-economic-forum" source="Orion">World Economic Forum</keyword> in Davos today reviewed the world's diversity, equity, and inclusion outlook.</li><li>Quotas and KPIs will not be enough to improve the lives of marginalized people, panelists told event attendees.</li></ul>A panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos today concluded that progress in diversity, equity, and inclusion is not coming fast enough for the world's marginalized.Since the last time world leaders met at the conference, companies, institutions, and governments have launched various <keyword id="11893567" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="dei" source="Orion">DEI</keyword> programs. Some of these included introducing quotas that ensure traditionally marginalized people make it into the interview rooms of big businesses and organizations. Yet the room at Davos heard that setbacks, which included the pandemic and the Ukraine war, have meant that inequalities not only persist but that we are also seeing progress slowing down in some areas. "You just can't take your foot off the gas for a minute," said Bloomberg chairman, Peter T Grauer, who spoke at the event. "This is a race without a finish line."With the global gender gap <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/04/136-years-is-the-estimated-journey-time-to-gender-equality/">extended</a> by another generation; <a href="https://www.insider.com/trans-woman-nj-diner-manager-demanded-she-use-mens-room-2022-5">LGBTQ+ rights</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/taliban-orders-women-tv-presenters-iafghanistan-to-cover-their-faces-2022-5">women's rights</a> under continued pressure; and reportedly <a href="https://fortune.com/2021/05/06/us-companies-black-communities-money-50-billion/">less money materializing</a> from the companies that pledged $50 billion towards ending racism in the aftermath of George Floyd's murder, it may even be time to push down harder on the pedal. <h2>More than a box-ticking exercise </h2>"It's not enough to use quota or KPIs," Petra De Sutter, deputy prime minister of Belgium, said. When we do, those who do not wish to disclose their disabilities or sexual orientation are at risk of being left behind, she added. Plus, box-ticking exercises such as these ignore the unconscious bias that takes place in interview rooms. This bias often prevents marginalized people from getting work, or even from being able to access certain spaces. "Unconscious bias is a part of all of us," Ilham Kadri, CEO and chairman of the executive committee for chemicals company <keyword id="14030424" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="solvay" source="Orion">Solvay</keyword> told the panel. "We really need to be trained, and remind ourselves of it during interviews," she added. Kadri's company ensures all 100 of her top-level management receive unconscious bias training, and that 50% of Solvay's interviewees come from minority backgrounds; Bloomberg runs unconscious bias training for all of their employees once a year. But for Kadri's company, Solvay, the issue is not just getting marginalized people into the building, but getting them into the boardroom, and they are far from alone in this. "Women can enter the public service," added De Sutter, speaking on disparities in global governments. "But if you look at the top management, 25% are women."<h2>DEI faces pushback </h2>A wider adherence to <keyword id="11893568" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="diversity-and-inclusion" source="Orion">diversity and inclusion</keyword> programs is not only a moral imperative but also an economic one, panelists agreed. DEI has the powerful potential to improve efficiency, bring in new, untapped talent, and drive revenue. "We are not doing this as a charity, we are a company. I'm running a profitable company, and it impacts the bottom line," Kadri told Davos attendees. Despite this, there has been significant pushback on DEI, with efforts at inclusion becoming <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/european-commission-ursula-von-der-leyen-document-eu/">fodder</a> in the culture wars. To combat this, governments and lawmakers need to get behind efforts to implement change, said panelists. This starts with implementing and normalizing the legal frameworks that help protect marginalized people. "Legal frameworks are very important as a political struggle so that you know you're living in a country where laws protect you, you cannot be discriminated against, you can go to court, you have your rights," said De Sutter. Beyond legalities, gender mainstreaming — the concept of considering the different implications for people of different genders of any planned policy action, including legislation and government programs — will be essential for enacting real change. Other policy and company-wide changes, like extended maternity leave for all genders, unconscious bias training for all employees, and bringing together all sectors of society, from academics and policymakers to business leaders and industry heavyweights to drive new solutions, will all help to implement change. Plus, advocating for equal access to education will prove necessary in giving all workers the opportunity to develop their skillsets. "Diversity and inclusion merit the same urgency as climate change," said Kadri. "It's time we started acting like it."

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The global workforce faces huge levels of stress and change, according to a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos

Parisa Hashempour

Global healthcare gaps persist because of growing economic inequities, said experts speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos

Parisa Hashempour

Gender parity is 135 years away, unless we speed up progress in politics and economics, according to a World Economic Forum panel

Parisa Hashempour

Global progress on DEI goals has stalled in wake of pandemic and war, according to a panel of experts at the World Economic Forum

Parisa Hashempour