Digitalisation and the Future of Work: Jobs at Risk?

Are we indeed about to see the disruption of labour? Or is this merely an outburst of hysteria? And if jobs are at risk, is it really the ‘boring and repetitive’ tasks which will be taken over by machines, as is generally assumed? Are we heading toward a polarised society in which well-trained digital experts face off against an analogue precariat? Who are the specialists of tomorrow? How can we train them? Which skills will be needed, which need to be expanded? How can both employees and employers prepare for this challenge?

Our Lunch Debate will focus on the way digitalisation affects labour markets – including its impact on workers’ status, working conditions and needs for further training. In the debate, we will put a special emphasis on the question of changing skill requirements and skills mismatches. Furthermore, we will look at how work is going to be organised in the future – and to what extent greater flexibility will affect when, where and how tasks are performed.