Leading economists and employment experts have warned that developing nations must rapidly reform their policies to prepare for major disruptions in the global labour market.
During an international webinar focused on the future of work in the Global South, experts argued that quickening technological progress and digital expansion are moving much faster than existing state policies and institutions can manage.
The Centre for Policy Dialogue, alongside several global partners, organised the online event titled Work in Flux: Foresight for the Future of Work in the Global South. The main takeaway from the panel of speakers was that traditional ways of planning for employment trends are no longer effective.
Debapriya Bhattacharya, a distinguished fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue who chaired the meeting, explained that the entire work ecosystem is changing deeply. He noted that existing laws and institutions are not keeping up with these shifts. He added that relying solely on historical patterns to predict future jobs is no longer sufficient due to sudden, non-linear technological developments.
To address these challenges, experts are recommending the use of foresight analysis. This method allows governments to map out various potential economic paths and build more resilient, long-term policies.
Sharing findings from a recent study on the future of work in Bangladesh, additional research director Towfiqul Islam Khan identified twenty-seven main drivers that will shape the country's employment landscape up to 2035. The research highlighted two primary areas of uncertainty, namely the speed at which the global digital economy grows and how national social goals evolve.
The study also identified several constant trends that countries will have to face regardless of how the future unfolds. These include the unstoppable rise of digital systems, a general shift towards higher-value service jobs, persistent skills gaps, and continued vulnerability to external shocks such as climate change and trade issues.
To help workers navigate these changes, researchers suggested several urgent policy steps. These include reform of the education system, a focus on retraining programmes, new industrial strategies focused on job creation, and modern safety nets for gig economy and digital platform workers.
An international panel of experts also shared their insights during the event, which included representatives from the International Labour Organisation, LIRNEasia in Sri Lanka, the Sur Futuro Initiative in Argentina, and the JustJobs Network in India.
The panellists, including Gunjan Bahadur Dallakoti, Helani Galpaya, Ramiro Albrieu, and Sabina Dewan, agreed that education must closely align with employers' actual needs. They also stressed the importance of expanding partnerships between governments and private businesses to train the workforce and prevent digital progress from worsening existing social inequalities.
The discussion concluded with a clear call to action. The speakers urged governments, employers, and global development partners to stop debating the challenges and start putting practical, forward-looking policies into place to protect vulnerable workers.
