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New Report Analyzes the Future of Work, Offers Recommendations for Transatlantic Policymakers

December 17, 2018

The changing nature of work and labor markets — and how best to prepare society for tomorrow’s workplace — is one of the most crucial challenges that countries and policymakers will face over the coming years. Jobs, tasks, and work itself will evolve at a more rapid pace, and the future of work will affect each country, region, worker, and student differently.

Therefore, the Bertelsmann Foundation North America and the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) have joined forces to write The Future of Work: A Guide for Transatlantic Policymakers, which spells out the core ingredients that leaders will need to consider when crafting policy for the future. Drawing from data and case studies of France, Germany, Spain, and the United States, authors Jeff Brown and Rob Atkinson conducted this analysis for five reasons:

1. To outline the guiding principles for policy
2. To shift the conversation from elite circles to the people their decisions will effect
3. To clear up confusion and misunderstandings
4. To connect theory to real life, and
5. To explore new realms of transatlantic cooperation.

In the paper, Brown and Atkinson measure the economic structure, labor market conditions and supports, social conditions and protections, and skills and worker capacities in each of the four countries. Their analysis find that, overall, Germany is most prepared for labor market change brought by technology and automation, followed by the United States, then France, and, finally, Spain.

Download the full report here: https://www.bfna.org/research/the-future-of-work-guide

“Workers around the world are worried about their place in the economy, and governments should help workers and communities in the face of labor market disruptions,” noted Rob Atkinson, ITIF founder and president. “While policy approaches will and should differ from country to country, all policymakers should focus on doing significantly more to help workers transition successfully into new jobs and occupations while encouraging technological progress.”

“The future of work is being driven by technology and automation, but it will ultimately be shaped by policymakers and their constituents, added Jeff Brown, Program Manager at the Bertelsmann Foundation. “We wrote this guide to start a conversation, because ensuring that they are aware of the topic and potential approaches is an essential first step.”

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The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan research and educational institute focusing on the intersection of technological innovation and public policy. Recognized by its peers in the think tank community as the global center of excellence for science and technology policy, ITIF’s mission is to formulate and promote policy solutions that accelerate innovation and boost productivity to spur growth, opportunity, and progress.

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