Council Report No.165 – Towards a National Better Work Strategy

• 30 July 2024
• Topics: Employment
• Types: Press Releases

NESC Report says targeted support and coordination needed to deliver Better Work agenda.

• NESC Report calls for a Better Work Strategy to improve the quality of work across all sectors of the economy.

• Irish and international research shows that investing in Better Work is good for employees, employers and the wider economy and society  

• A National Better Work Strategy in which social partners have a central role can help realise the benefits of improving job quality and target supports to where they are most needed.

A new research report published by the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) has recommended the pursuit of a national strategy to improve the quality of work in Ireland. Based on Irish and international evidence, the report finds that implementing specific measures to improve the quality of work can lead to enhanced employee well-being and productivity improvements that justify the added investment from the perspective of employers.

Pursuing a Better Work Strategy would establish a commitment to improving the quality of work across all sectors of the economy. This can strengthen economic resilience and tackle persistent challenges in the Irish labour markets, delivering benefits for employees, employers and the wider economy and society. It can also help Ireland to respond in an agile manner to the labour market opportunities and challenges posed by Artificial Intelligence (AI).   

Speaking on the publication of the report, Dr. Larry O’Connell, Director of NESC said:  

“There are challenges. For some firms there can be tension between maintaining competitiveness and investing more to support employee well-being. In person-centred services, like health care or childcare, achieving productivity gains is notoriously difficult. However, the report argues that the challenges are not insurmountable.”

Dr. Damian Thomas, who led the research said:

“A National Better Work Strategy is key. It would engage social partners in a process with Government.  This would define what Better Work means in specific sectors and provide a basis for understanding where targeted support is needed. The strategy would include issues such as employee rights and engagement; skills and training; knowledge, research and advocacy and institutional and policy support.”

The report recommends that Government and the social partners should establish a series of sectoral taskforces focussed on building more productive and resilient sectors with the capacity to support better work. This should include, but not be limited to, sectors that are traditionally characterised by lower quality jobs and lower levels of productivity and innovation. 

To read the report in full please click here: Towards a National Better Work Strategy

ENDS

For further information, contact:

Danielle Fitzpatrick
Account Executive, Carr Communications
+353-83-826-3716