During the three days conference including 15 hours of content and 400 minutes of networking, the World Employment Conference 2021 combined workshops with concrete case studies and exchange of best practices, panel discussions as well as inspiring keynote speeches.

The Conference covered a wide range to employment related matters, ranging from: how technological change can be harnessed to enhance recruitment , to how to collectively build a more diverse, equal and inclusive world of work. 

A panel debate brought together Sangheon Lee, International Labour Organisation (ILO), Stefano Scarpetta, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Roberto Suárez Santos, International Organisation of Employers (IOE) and Sharan Burrows, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC),had a look at the policy responses needed for businesses to grow and bring their positive contribution to labour markets.

On how to effectively influence national governments to take relevant actions to support labour market transformations, Roberto Suarez Santos, stressed that “the transformations are there, but the policies that we have now in place are not fit for the times we are living”…”we need to do much better and for this, governments have to better partner with the private sector”. On the priorities, he pointed out that “We have to have the courage to acknowledge that health is a priority for business continuity, and lockdowns are no longer the answer, nor are these sustainable”. He also referred to the relevance of promoting the transition to formality as a key aspect for developing economies and in that context “sustainable social protection networks should be also a priority”.

Bettina Schaller, President of the World Employment Confederation (WEC), highlighted that there is an “unprecedented number of countries taking an unprecedented amount of measures to support the labour market” and “the call for governments is to make sure that the role of employment in the overall policy and framework- that countries are looking to build going forward- remains crucial”… “ in too many countries employment has a lesser role” . She called for policy-makers to take this seriously, “this is the moment where you [governments] have the chance to re-build the labour market, bringing experts who know what has to be done, whether on training or access to work or in work transitions…. “social innovation is the key”, she said.

From a different perspective, she referred to the importance of  recognising the need for diverse forms of work pointing out that “there are different types of contracts and forms of work in every country” and ”the more you establish in the labour market the different ways of contracting… which all come with their benefits, with a level playing field, with their elements of security and flexibility, the more you will be able to bring people into the labour market”.

Andreu Cruagnas, President of the Association of Employment Agencies and Temporary Employment Agencies (Asociación de Agencias de Empleo y Empresas de Trabajo Temporal, ASEMPLEO), that co-organised the Conference in Madrid, commented: “The event has shown the companies associated with WEC, our preferred interlocutors, our candidates and client companies, the governments and international institutions with which we have a relationship that the employment industry is in a position to respond to the challenges of the new scenario, with ideas, attitudes and vision. With a firm commitment to employability, flexibility, social innovation, competitiveness and decent work with rights. This Conference will remain in the memory of ASEMPLEO and of all as a source of pride and recognition”.