Future of work, future of society

On the basis of our engagement with this topic across academic disciplines, contexts of practice and national borders, we are convinced that shaping the future of work in our societies requires us to look at the nature and function of work. We have a collective commitment to ensure that everyone can lead a decent life. If there is 'not enough' paid work for everybody to afford a decent life through their earnings, then the solution cannot be (as is often suggested) to 'upskill' individuals so that they can better compete in the labour market. The solution, instead, needs to include a process of societal upskilling, understood as a collective duty and commitment to find solutions to ensure dignified livelihoods for all people, whether or not they are in paid employment. Thus, this Opinion is ultimately about the future of our societies based on European values of dignity, freedom, autonomy, privacy, social equality and solidarity.

To conclude:

1. The EGE calls upon the European Commission and Member States, as well as all work-related organisations, to rethink frameworks and institutions around work and employment according to a broad understanding of work, including both paid and unpaid work.
2. The EGE recognises the opportunities presented by technological innovations to strengthen European economies for the benefit of all. European values must shape the design, development, adoption, use and governance of technological innovation, not least in order to ensure decent employment and working conditions.
3. The EGE underscores that besides individual upskilling, societal upskilling is of major importance: skills, training, capacities, education and learning and collective responsibility.
4. The EGE recommends a broad societal deliberation about the decoupling of social security systems from employment in the narrow sense and underscores the importance of addressing inequities across and within societies.