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This report analyses the sequence of labour market support that individuals receive and evaluates two large public works programmes. It uses rich administrative data and finds positive labour market impacts of the Community Employment and Tús employment programmes. Building on the results of the analyses, the report makes recommendations on how Ireland can further adapt its active labour market policies (ALMPs) to better support its current and future jobseekers. This report on Ireland is the thirteenth country study published in a series of reports on policies to connect people with jobs, and is part of a joint project with the European Commission to strengthen countries’ capacity to evaluate ALMPs. The report is written jointly by the OECD, the Department of Social Protection of Ireland and the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission.

This report uses rich administrative data from different registers in Greece to evaluate the impact of two types of active labour market policies (ALMPs): wage subsidies and training for unemployed people. The report finds a positive impact of both types of ALMPs and makes recommendations for further improving the effectiveness of Greece’s ALMPs and strengthening the capacity of the authorities to conduct ALMP impact evaluations. This report is the twelfth in a series of country reports on policies to connect people with better jobs. It was produced as part of the OECD’s project with the European Commission which aims to raise the quality of the data collected and their use in the evaluation of the effectiveness of ALMPs.

This report on Lithuania is the tenth country study published in a series of reports looking into how policies connect people with jobs. This report is produced in the framework of a project of the OECD with the European Commission which aims to raise the quality of the data collected and their use in the evaluation of the effectiveness of active labour market policies (ALMPs). The report uses rich administrative data from different registers in Lithuania to evaluate the impact of two types of ALMPs: employment subsidies and vocational training for unemployed people. The analysis examines the outcomes of the selected ALMPs beyond just the probability of employment and how different population groups are affected. Finally, the report makes recommendations for improving the effectiveness of Lithuania’s ALMPs and strengthening the capacity of the Lithuanian authorities in conducting ALMP impact evaluations.

High and persistent unemployment remains a major economic and social problem for many OECD countries. Currently, some 35 million persons are unemployed across the area and many others are so discouraged that they are not even looking for a job. There is also increasing concern about precarious jobs and in-work poverty in some countries. The OECD Jobs Strategy was launched five years ago in response to these problems. And it works: the available empirical evidence shows that its continued and comprehensive implementation leads to durably lower unemployment and higher employment. What lies behind the disparities in levels and trends of unemployment rates across countries? Why have some countries outperformed others in terms of successfully cutting unemployment? Why do some groups in society - the young, older workers, the low-skilled - have difficulty finding and keeping rewarding jobs in many countries? Should the rise in temporary and part-time jobs be welcomed or resisted? This publication reviews these issues in light of countries’ experience in implementing The OECD Jobs Strategy. It puts the spotlight on groups at the margin of the labour market, and looks at the policies required to better integrate them.

This report on Estonia is the seventh country study published in a series of reports looking into how policies connect people with jobs. It discusses the set-up and performance of active labour market policies (ALMPs) in Estonia. In particular, the report analyses the institutional and regulatory framework of ALMP provision in Estonia, assesses the need for ALMPs in the Estonian population and evaluates whether ALMPs reach the people they are targeted to. For that purpose, the report relies on the analysis of a rich set of linked administrative data which allow to identify the labour market obstacles faced by people furthest from the labour market, and identify gaps and overlaps in the ALMPs and related support provided to them.

The COVID-19 crisis has reiterated the importance of adult learning and career guidance services as many adults have lost their jobs and now require upskilling and reskilling opportunities in order to keep pace with the rapidly evolving world of work. Yet, in order to achieve its positive gains, adult training needs to be of high quality and ensure successful learning experiences for all participants. This report therefore aims at supporting public authorities to enhance quality in the field of non-formal adult learning. It provides an overview of quality assurance systems across Europe, highlighting their implementation features, governance structures and success factors. Based on this analysis, the report develops a Quality Assurance in Adult Learning Decision Tree to support the decision-making process of governments that are planning reforms of their quality assurance systems.

The gap between rich and poor keeps widening. Growth, if any, has disproportionally benefited higher income groups while lower income households have been left behind. This long-run increase in income inequality not only raises social and political concerns, but also economic ones. It tends to drag down GDP growth, due to the rising distance of the lower 40% from the rest of society. Lower income people have been prevented from realising their human capital potential, which is bad for the economy as a whole. This book highlights the key areas where inequalities are created and where new policies are required, including: the consequences of current consolidation policies; structural labour market changes with rising non-standard work and job polarization; persisting gender gaps; the challenge of high wealth concentration, and the role for redistribution policies.

Belgium has a high level of productivity. However, growth of productivity has declined quite strongly over the past two decades, and more so than in other advanced economies. This is a worrying development, as fewer productivity gains mean less wage growth and a slowdown in improvements to pensions, health care and well-being. This In-Depth Productivity Review of Belgium assesses in detail the drivers of productivity and recommends a 7-Point Action Plan to reignite productivity growth in Belgium. Reviving productivity growth requires action in many areas cutting across governments and ministerial competences. Measures are needed to instil more dynamism in Belgium’s economy, both among businesses and in the labour market, and to make the public finances more growth-oriented. In addition to recommending detailed policy measures to revive productivity growth, the Review contains three analytical chapters that lay out the evidence base: Chapter 1 on economy-wide and sectoral trends in productivity; Chapter 2 on the role of firms for productivity, with a focus on the dispersion of performance among businesses; and Chapter 3 on the worker dimension of productivity, with a focus on the role of wage bargaining and skills.

Workers’ skills are an essential asset for firms to recover from the COVID-19 shock and succeed in the twin digital and green transitions. Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) face special barriers to investing in human capital because of their size and more limited access to information and capital markets. This report identifies policies that are successful in promoting SMEs’ investment in the skills of employees, managers or entrepreneurs. A review of cost-reducing and financial support instruments is followed by an analysis of initiatives that promote innovative HR practices, a learning culture in the firm, and better co-operation among firms and with the education sector. The report describes the design and rationale of these measures as well as their advantages and limitations. It identifies a common set of features that make skill investment policies especially suitable for SMEs.

In recent years Korea has stepped up efforts to reduce inequalities in recognition that a fairer economic model is also the most sustainable one. In order to support this new policy direction, the OECD has carried out novel analysis of inclusive growth building on its Framework for Policy Action, developed by the OECD to improve the prospects of the groups left behind. The Inclusive Growth Review of Korea applies, for the first time, the Framework at the national level. Using a dashboard of indicators, the Framework presents policy recommendations to sustain and more equitably share the gains of economic growth by investing in people left behind, supporting business dynamism and inclusive labour markets, and building efficient and responsive governments. In addition, the Inclusive Growth Review of Korea finds that digitalisation risks to compound the disparities of Korean labour markets, and calls for renewed efforts to reduce the lack of opportunities for up- and re-skilling of the working-age population (Chapter 2). To improve the business environment, Korea should address the unbalanced growth across sectors and firm size and unequal distribution of productivity gains across population groups (Chapter 3).

Income inequality is rising. A quarter of a century ago, the average disposable income of the richest 10% in OECD countries was around seven times higher than that of the poorest 10%; today, it’s around 9½ times higher. Why does this matter? Many fear this widening gap is hurting individuals, societies and even economies. This book explores income inequality across five main headings. It starts by explaining some key terms in the inequality debate. It then examines recent trends and explains why income inequality varies between countries. Next it looks at why income gaps are growing and, in particular, at the rise of the 1%. It then looks at the consequences, including research that suggests widening inequality could hurt economic growth. Finally, it examines policies for addressing inequality and making economies more inclusive.

Innovative ways of working with Indigenous Australians are needed to improve their employment prospects, especially as many work in jobs that are most likely to be impacted by digitalisation and automation in the future. This report considers both quantitative and qualitative data regarding employment, skills, and entrepreneurship opportunities for Indigenous Australians. A number of case studies were undertaken with employment and training providers in the cities of Sydney and Perth to gain insights into the delivery of employment and skills programmes targeted to Indigenous Australians. The report highlights critical success factors to better link Indigenous Australians to high quality jobs while also providing recommendations regarding future employment and skills programming.

This report looks at a range of key labour market, economic and social indicators related to Canada’s growing Indigenous population, which comprises First Nations, Inuit and Métis. In 2016, there were over 1.6 million Indigenous People in Canada, accounting for 4.9% of the total population, which is a significant increase from 3.8% in 2006. The report looks at the implementation of the federal government’s Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Strategy through in-depth analysis across four case study areas, including 1) the Centre for Aboriginal Human Resources and Development in Winnipeg, Manitoba; 2) Community Futures Treaty Seven in Calgary, Alberta; 3) MAWIW Council in Fredericton, New Brunswick; and 4) Kiikenomaga Kikenjigewen Employment and Training Services (KKETS) in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The report highlights critical success factors to better link Indigenous People to high quality jobs while also providing recommendations regarding future labour market and skills programming for Indigenous People in Canada.

Globalisation and rapid technological change have radically transformed labour markets, affecting the lives and prospects of billions of workers. Those in the informal economy, the vast bulk of the workforce in the Global South, have been bearing the brunt. This report is for policy makers seeking to address the factors that make those workers in informality vulnerable. It provides them with a distinctive cross-country comparison of recent informality trends, and how they were affected by the recent crises such as the COVID-19 epidemic, casting light on the impacts of sub-contracting models in global value chains, and digital labour platforms. It argues that an inclusive recovery and greater resilience to future crises necessitate that many countries renew their social contracts, to make them more inclusive of informal workers and their families.

In Brazil, as in other countries, innovation in the public sector is a core leadership challenge. Reflection is required on who these leaders are, what they should be able to do, and how they should be selected and held accountable to achieve results. This study establishes a new assessment framework for senior civil service (SCS) systems, based on the 2019 OECD Recommendation on Public Service Leadership and Capability. Using this framework, the study assesses Brazil’s current system and recommends specific actions to improve it. The report also contributes to a broader debate on public leadership competencies in public sector innovation, and the systems needed to appoint the most effective people and help them achieve results.

With the introduction of Job Network on 1 May 1998, job matching and other employment assistance services in Australia were subcontracted to hundreds of private and community organisations. How well has this radical innovation worked? When jobseekers have to give something to the community in return for receiving unemployment benefits, what are the results? Which of Australia’s many innovations across a wide range of other labour market programmes could be adopted by other countries? Following extensive reforms to a complex industrial relations system to promote enterprise bargaining, what is the best way forward? This publication provides an in-depth analysis of industrial relations and labour market policies, with particular attention to recent insights from three years of operating experience with a contestable employment services market.