On December 2 - 3 2022 an international conference on „The future of work – post pandemic work, workers and workplace” was held in Vilnius, organised by LDF Education Center (VsI Lithuanian Labor Federation Education Center) with the support of the European Centre for Workers Questions (EZA) and funded by the European Union.
More than 60 participants representing workers’ organizations from Serbia, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Latvia, Moldova, Chech Republic, Denmark, Spain, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine, and Lithuania attended the seminar.
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted labour markets globally in 2020. The short-term consequences were sudden and often severe: millions of people were furloughed or lost jobs, and others rapidly adjusted to working from home as offices closed. The rise of non-standard forms of employment across the world in recent years—such as the gig economy that involves temporary employment, part-time work, short-term agency work and self-employment - has major repercussions for the future of work, raising serious concerns about job security and the quality of working conditions. In addition, the pandemic made a huge impact on workers and organizations. They point to the economic, social, and psychological challenges and risks for workers deemed “essential” as well as for furloughed and laid-off workers. They touch on fundamental changes brought about in some industries and new opportunities in others.
Aims of the seminar
- To raise awareness of trade union members and representatives of employees organizations on the main European Union documents, research, and policies about the post-pandemic world of work and the post-COVID work environment;
- To discuss the possible scenarios of job security and quality of work conditions;
- To analyse the physical and psychological impact of COVID-19 to employees;
- To discuss challenges for occupational safety and health;
- To discuss the impact and main challenges of pandemics to workers representing organisations;
- To share best practices of participants from different countries introducing their experiences.
These important topics were discussed at the seminar
- The labour market after the pandemic - changes, challenges, opportunities.
- Safety and health in the workplace - changes after the pandemic.
- The position of people with disabilities in the labour market, integration into the labour market, and society.
- Youth employment challenges in a post-pandemic environment.
- Solidarity and assistance to refugees and immigrants.
- Changes in the activities of trade unions. Sharing experience.
Participants identified the following main consequences of the pandemic:
- Many bankrupted companies and lost jobs;
- In many countries, the economy has declined and the GDP has decreased;
- Increased debt of the countries to the international monetary fund and other financial institutions;
- Decline in people's standard of living, disappointment, psychological problems;
- The attitude towards the workplace has changed, and the regulation of labour relations has changed;
- New forms of work have appeared which do not always ensure job security and the privacy of the employee's life;
- Decrease number of trade union membership.
Along with all the negative consequences, there are also positive findings:
- The need to strengthen abilities in the field of information technology;
- The need to provide employees with appropriate/more modern IT tools;
- A new approach to employee productivity;
- The outdated view that the employee must be at the workplace "from to" is replaced by a new measurement - "to perform the assigned work";
- New, wider opportunities to combine work and family;
- Shorter working hours, more flexible work schedule for those who want it;
- More attention to hygiene and work safety;
- Revision of the personal values scale (what is important at work and in life).
The participants of the seminar discussed the post-pandemic future perspectives:
- To create flexible working conditions, allowing to better combine the needs of family and work;
- To provide more opportunities for young people by helping them acquire the professions needed by the labour market;
- Review training programs in all educational chains, and adapt them to the requirements of the labour market;
- Aim for more practice for employees, improvement of work skills, creativity, and innovation-promoting activities in all education chains;
- More opportunities to acquire a profession and integrate into the labour market for more sensitive groups of society (disabled, insecure, living far from the centres, not having enough funds);
- Change society's attitude towards cooperation between generations (encourage help and support, transfer of experience);
- More opportunities to acquire a profession and integrate into the labour market for more sensitive groups of society (disabled, insecure, living far from the centres, not having enough funds);
- To increase the number of trade union members by offering new services for members, introducing new forms of approaching target groups, and strengthening the leadership and image of trade unions.
The COVID-19 pandemic changed many aspects of our daily lives. The exceptional situation of the COVID-19 pandemic split the workforce into different groups of workers, each of which was affected differently by the pandemic. The longer-term effects on health and well-being, future earnings, work motivation and career development are uncertain. Policy measures are required to make work more sustainable over the life course and doing so will increase the resilience of the workforce and equip workers for an uncertain future. What’s clear is that thriving in the future will not mean the absence of challenges and disruptions. Rather, it means adapting, adjusting, prioritizing, and creating resilience to manage through instability.