Geneva Day - The Future of Work

The COVID-19 pandemic is not only a health crisis. It has profoundly affected the world of work. While our economic system and labour markets have already been in a phase of transformation due to digital progress and the 4th Industrial Revolution, the measures to combat the pandemic have in many cases exacerbated some of these dynamics – and widened the income gap across countries and societies. While some of us were fortunate enough to adapt to new working environments supported by latest technologies, for many, the pandemic has caused losses in working hours and income, leading to higher unemployment and poverty; the lack of informality in human interaction also took a toll in both well-being and efficiency terms. As we are yet to fully recover from the pandemic, the economic uncertainties in the context of the war in Ukraine as well as the increased flow of refugees in certain countries constitute further challenges to the labor market.

The aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis coupled with geopolitical and economic pressures may hence create new social tensions and crack open long existing ones. Is it fair to say that our social systems have failed the litmus test of COVID-19? What are the lessons learnt from the past two years? What does it really take society as a whole to emerge stronger from crisis and absorb new shocks – and how can we all assume our responsibilities?

Welcome speech:
H.E. Guy Parmelin, Federal Councilor of Switzerland, Head of the Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research

Expected speakers :
- Mr. Christophe Catoir, President, Adecco 
- Ms. Fabienne Fischer, State Councillor, Canton of Geneva
- Ms. Rebecca Grynspan, Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
- Mr. Rick Samans, Director of Research, International Labor Organization
- Ms. Scott Wharton, VP & General Manager, Video Collaboration Group, Logitech

Moderation:
Prof. Richard Baldwin, Professor of International Economics at the Graduate Institute, Co-Chair of the Platform “Thinking Ahead on Societal Change”

Contact person: 
Paola Ceresetti, Head of Communication, Permanent Mission of Switzerland in Geneva, paola.ceresetti@eda.admin.ch, +41 79 240 19 18

Watch the video from the event here: Link