The Future of Work: 2018 Conference on Business, Technology, and Human Rights Executive Summary
Publication Date
March 21, 2018
Publication Type
Report
Topic(s)
Technology
Summary
On March 21, 2018, more than 145 practitioners, experts, academics, and students convened at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business to discuss the future of work, an emerging issue in the field of business, technology, and human rights that is relevant to virtually all industries and sectors. Attendees gathered to examine critical questions and explore potential solutions — from the role of public policy to the role of the employer — to help mitigate risks of adverse impacts and maximize opportunities for positive impacts of technology on human rights and on the future labor market. This brief report summarizes key themes from the discussion.
Key Takeaways
- The Fourth Industrial Revolution, marked by rapid technological advancements, is expected to significantly transform the labor market by potentially displacing up to 800 million jobs by 2030. This creates a critical need for inclusive solutions to manage the transition.
- There’s a strong emphasis on reevaluating employment and education models, with a focus on equipping workers with skills that are transferable across different jobs and industries, and ensuring these transitions consider human rights and labor standards.
- Collaboration between public and private sectors is essential to develop adaptable policies and practices that protect human rights and support economic stability, including exploring concepts like universal basic income and portable benefits.
- Technology should be leveraged to augment human capabilities, but ethical considerations must keep humans at the center of decision-making processes, ensuring respect and dignity are upheld in the workplace.
- Businesses are encouraged to support workforce adaptation and technological integration ethically, while governments should create policies that respect human rights and fund research for innovative public policy solutions.
Suggested Citation
Nishinaga, J., & Natour, F. (2018)
The Future of Work: 2018 Conference on Business, Technology, and Human Rights Executive Summary.
Human Rights Center, UC Berkeley. https://humanrights.berkeley.edu/publications/future-work-2018-conference-business-technology-and-human-rights-executive-summary/
