Work in a New World

Work has always played a central role in human lives, from ancient times to the modern age to contemporary history. How is the way we work changing in the digital economy, and how can we make sure that it is changing for the better and not worse? This chapter provides an overview of what we currently know about the future of work, such as potential job losses through automation, new emerging jobs, new skills, future social security systems, and wage inequality, and of chances and risks more generally of working in the digital economy. The focus is on presenting an overview of currently existing socioeconomic research on the “future of work” and to identify policy areas in which policymakers may have to become active, with either established labor market and social policies or with entirely new policy ideas.