The Changing Nature of Work: 30 signals to consider for a sustainable future

SIGNAL 23. Gender parity

The fourth industrial revolution brought many opportunities for economic advancements, but also new challenges for women, in addition to long-established ones. To progress in the new era, women and men need to be skilled, mobile and tech-savvy. Partial or full automation will cause job losses, with certain sectors more affected than others (i.e. clerical work, service-oriented occupations, etc.), but some entirely new fields and occupations will be created as well.

McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) predicts that by 2030, between 7 and 24 percent of women currently employed may need to transition across occupations. They will need new skills and an enabling environment that encourages lifelong learning that is accessible and adds value to a professional profile. Traditionally, more women have been working in lower-paid occupations than men. MGI predicts that in the future, the demand for high-wage jobs could increase, while demand for medium- and low‑wage jobs could shrink.

Women have less time for reskilling, upskilling and seeking jobs because they spend much more time than men on unpaid care work. They have less access to digital technologies and have a lower participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) fields than men. There are many other barriers that hinder both women’s entry into the labour force and their subsequent advancement, such as lack of childcare provision, stereotypes about occupations, lower mobility due to physical safety, and legal challenges.

Many industries would benefit from a better gender balance among employees, including among senior leaders. Tackling the gender gap should be a priority of the fourth industrial revolution, and organizations must commit to carrying out effective action to this end.

Check out the next signal, #24: Creating inclusive workplaces.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Changing Nature of Work: 30 signals to consider for a sustainable future

Work helps sustain livelihoods and largely determines the quality of life. Its changing nature is at the frontier of development. This report is the result of a broad horizon scanning by six UNDP Accelerator Labs across Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States.  They reveal 30 signals that shape the “where, who, how, and why” of the changing nature of work. From the impact of COVID-19 on the workforce to new work models and entrepreneurial ecosystems, the authors explore opportunities and threats, as well as solutions from local contexts that can be scaled up into positive answers to the challenges people around the world are facing.  Download the full report here.