The right to decent work; it’s enshrined in Constitutions and included in the UN Sustainable Development Goals as critical to inclusive and sustainable economic growth. But the unprecedented years of COVID-19, the ripple effects of the war in Ukraine, and the global cost of living crisis have taken countless tolls on economies around the world and, in turn, their respective job markets. Unemployment is high, but so too are the number of job openings.

There’s clearly a perceived disconnect between what employers need and the skills jobseekers bring. Many workers are demanding more (and leaving secure employment to find it) while others are being forced to accept less than they need to survive. Employers are struggling to compete on salary while entire generations suffer the “pay cuts” of runaway inflation.

And while it’s governments’ role to deliver assistance and support people back into decent work, the private sector can do much to help themselves by creating opportunities for growth and support for those who need it, from the long-term unemployed to recent graduates to refugees.

Palladium has spent decades working with both governments and the private sector globally, and we see massive opportunities to accelerate our efforts to ensure that individuals and societies have the resilience to withstand more unpredictability in the years to come. From growing small businesses to upskilling youth to implementing government programs, there’s no one path forward but there are endless possibilities.

The articles in this edition of our Special Report are curated from those published by our employment thought leaders and reflect their unique perspectives on jobs and sustainable work, be it through a particular industry, stakeholder, case study, or point of view.

I hope you’ll find something in these pages that resonates with you, and if so, I welcome you to get in touch.

Elizabeth Godo
Director of Communications, Palladium
info@thepalladiumgroup.com