The pandemic is casting a spotlight on how vulnerable so many workers really are. (iStock by Getty Images/ArtMarie)
The global pandemic has caused millions of people to lose their jobs and is widening the gap between white-collar workers who can work from home and those who don’t have the skills or resources to participate in a digitally-driven economy. And with robots and automation on the rise, COVID-19 appears to have ushered in a new normal for the global workplace. But in this podcast, JustJobs Network President Sabina Dewan, and ILO economist Ekkehard Ernst, argue this "new normal" isn't really new at all, and that shifting demographics and technology were upending labor markets long before the Covid-induced lockdowns. Dewan and Ernst coauthored Rethinking the World of Work, published in the December 2020 issue of Finance and Development Magazine.
SABINA DEWAN is president and executive director of the JustJobs Network, an international think tank focused on creating more and better employment worldwide.
EKKEHARD ERNST is an International Labour Organization macroeconomist who studies the impact of trends and policies on employment, wages, and inequality.
International Monetary Fund
Bruce Edwards produces the IMF podcast program. He's an award-winning audio producer and journalist who's covered armed conflicts, social unrest, and natural disasters from all corners of the world. He believes economists have an important role in solving the world's problems and aspires to showcase their research in every IMF podcast.
RHODA METCALFE is an independent journalist and audio producer.
