Targeted support and coordination needed to deliver Better Work agenda
A new research report published by the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) has recommended the development a national strategy to improve the quality of work in Ireland. The report recommends that Government and the social partners should establish a series of sectoral taskforces focussed on building more productive and resilient sectors with the capacity to support better work. This should include, but not be limited to, sectors that are traditionally characterised by lower quality jobs and lower levels of productivity and innovation.
Main findings
The report focuses on the policy challenge of supporting and facilitating ‘Better Work’ in all sectors of the economy. Based on Irish and international evidence, the report finds that implementing specific measures to improve the quality of work can lead to enhanced employee well-being and productivity improvements that justify the added investment from the perspective of employers.
The report finds that pursuing a Better Work Strategy would establish a commitment to improving the quality of work across all sectors of the economy. This can strengthen economic resilience and tackle persistent challenges in the Irish labour markets, delivering benefits for employees, employers and the wider economy and society. It can also help Ireland to respond in an agile manner to the labour market opportunities and challenges posed by Artificial Intelligence (AI).
What is Better Work?
The report defines Better Work as a commitment to improving the quality of work in a way that delivers for all stakeholders. The report notes that Better Work is a complex concept that incorporates both extrinsic (material) and intrinsic (non-material) attributes. Efforts to improve the quality of work should be informed and shaped by ongoing sectoral dialogue and harnessing frontline knowledge.
Main findings:
Benefits of Better Work
Better Work has the potential to deepen economic resilience and tackle persistent labour-market challenges. Research demonstrates benefits for employees and employers, as well as for the wider economy and society.
Addressing Cost Competitiveness Challenges
Making work better can result in potential cost-competitiveness challenges for some firms and sectors. In sectors and firms characterised by low levels of productivity growth and profitability, increases in personnel expenses can pose a risk in terms of commercial viability.
Challenges and Costs for Public Services
There are budgetary constraints associated with providing good-quality, person-centred public services. The report acknowledges and challenges this argument; in particular, the failure to appreciate the impact of the indirect benefits of Better Work for the wider economy and society.
Artificial Intelligence and the Labour Market
The potential impact of rapid developments in artificial intelligence (AI) on both job quality and job quantity is outlined. The Better Work agenda can provide a means of responding in an agile and prompt manner to the challenges and opportunities associated with this transformative technology.
National Better Work Strategy
Improving the quality of work will not happen by chance: a balanced and collaborative national strategy is needed to drive this agenda forward. A national strategy serves as a framework to address potential cost-competitiveness challenges, while ensuring that actions are appropriately targeted and tailored across different sectors. It should help position Better Work as a central goal of enterprise policy, supporting sustainable improvements in productivity and economic performance. The proposed National Better Work Strategy encompasses actions across a number of policy areas, including:
- sectoral taskforces focused on building more productive and resilient sectors with the capacity to support Better Work;
- social partners being given a central role in the co-design and co-delivery of a national strategy for Better Work;
- a comprehensive and co-ordinated programme of research and survey work to generate robust and timely evidence in support of Better Work; and
- a strategic focus on workplace innovation in Ireland as a key vehicle for improving skills as well as the productivity and performance of firms