It was recently reported that UK Ministers should draw up a long-term plan in order to deal with the impact of automation in the workplaces.
Indeed, as automation is slowly taking over some industries all over the country, it is vital to be prepared to deal with the consequences as it won’t affect everyone in the same way. Some jobs might be lost due to the shift towards robots and automation, and thus, it is important to make sure it won’t exacerbate existing inequalities affecting younger people, women, disabled people and those from some ethnic communities.
Hence, the Department for Work and Pensions was asked to develop a long-term plan so as to deal with the various potential scenarios of the growing automation of the industries in the UK.
The committee stated that new technologies such as automation will shape the future of the labour market, thus affecting working practices and the number and nature of jobs and making it impossible to know what the future world of work will be like. It is however believed that new technology will lead to the creation of new jobs instead of unemployment.
It was also noted that automation and new technologies will transform how people work as well as the skills they need to succeed. Hence, the Government needs to make sure that younger workers, women, disabled people and those from some ethnic backgrounds are not left behind.
