Will our jobs disappear with the arrival of robots? What
should young people study today to be successful in the
labor market of tomorrow? How will this technological
transformation change how we work? Will it help to tack-
le the serious issue of informality or on the contrary, will
it make it worse? As the importance of the fourth indus-
trial revolution grows, the debate regarding what the
labor market will be like in a few years has intensified,
and uncertainty is increasing. Through the publication
of our series The Future of Work in Latin America and
the Caribbean, we aim to provide new data that enables
reflection on how the region may take advantage of the
opportunities and minimize the risks posed by the Fourth
Industrial Revolution.
As indicated in this first issue, the future of work will be
marked by two major trends: the technological tsunami
and population aging, as although the myth exists that
Latin America and the Caribbean is a young region, the
reality is that its population is aging more rapidly than
that of the rest of the world. Both trends are of a positive
nature (they provide us the opportunity to live longer,
abandon more repetitive work, and increase our quality
of life) and present a great opportunity for the region.
However, we must take action to take advantage of this
opportunity.
The challenges are numerous. Although technological
advances now spread more rapidly than in the past, they
reach Latin America and the Caribbean more slowly, as
the region is subject to barriers that hinder the absorp-
tion of these innovations. On the other hand, the Fourth
Industrial Revolution has the potential to destroy em-
ployment in some industries and occupations, as well as
to increase inequality. Additionally, technology is creating
new types of employment relationships that may lead to
the precarization of labor. Together with population ag-
ing, these types of employment, made possible by the
success of the gig economy, pose a risk to the welfare
state as we know it.
In any case, the future of work is not a predefined sce-
nario, but an ongoing reality. The nature of the future
labor market in our region will depend on how we act
on all levels, including states, companies and employ-
ees. As such, in this initial note, we present the actions
or strategies that may be activated to address this as yet
uncertain scenario.
The future of work in Latin
America and the Caribbean will
be marked by two major trends:
the technological tsunami and
population aging. The nature
of the future labor market
will depend on how workers,
companies, and states act today
The future of work in
Latin America and the Caribbean
A great opportunity
for the region?
1 |
Introduction
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