Evidence-based policy making
IZA World of Labor is an online platform that provides policy analysts, journalists, academics and society generally with relevant and concise information on labor market issues. Based on the latest research, it provides current thinking on labor markets worldwide in a clear and accessible style. IZA World of Labor aims to support evidence-based policy making and increase awareness of labor market issues, including current concerns like the impact of Covid-19, and longer-term problems like inequality.
View our content on Covid-19—Pandemics and the labor market
Climate change and the allocation of time
In various ways, climate change will affect people’s well-being and how they spend their time
Understanding the impacts of climate change on time allocation is a major challenge. The best approach comes from looking at how people react to short-term variations in weather. Research suggests rising temperatures will reduce time spent working and enjoying outdoor leisure, while increasing indoor leisure. The burden will fall disproportionately on workers in industries more exposed to heat and those who live in warmer regions, with the potential to increase existing patterns of inequalities. This is likely to trigger an adaptation, the scope and mechanisms of which are hard to predict, and will undoubtedly entail costs.
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Does employee ownership improve performance? Updated
Employee ownership generally increases firm performance and worker outcomes
Douglas Kruse , May 2022Employee ownership has attracted growing attention for its potential to improve economic outcomes for companies, workers, and the economy in general, and help reduce inequality. Over 100 studies across many countries indicate that employee ownership is generally linked to better productivity, pay, job stability, and firm survival—though the effects are dispersed and causation is difficult to firmly establish. Free-riding often appears to be overcome by worker co-monitoring and reciprocity. Financial risk is an important concern but is generally minimized by higher pay and job stability among employee owners.MoreLess -
Measuring poverty within the household
Standard poverty measures may drastically understate the problem; the collective household model can help
A key element of anti-poverty policy is the accurate identification of poor individuals. However, measuring poverty at the individual level is difficult since consumption data are typically collected at the household level. Per capita measures based on household-level data ignore both inequality within the household and economies of scale in consumption. The collective household model offers an alternative and promising framework to estimate poverty at the individual level while accounting for both inequality within the household and economies of scale in consumption.MoreLess -
How to attract international students? Updated
Studying abroad benefits the students, the host country, and those remaining at home
Arnaud Chevalier , May 2022In knowledge-based economies, attracting and retaining international students can help expand the skilled workforce. Empirical evidence suggests that open migration policies and labor markets, whereby students can remain in the host country post-study, as well as good quality higher education institutions are crucial for successfully attracting international students. Student migration can positively affect economic growth in both sending and receiving countries, even though migrants themselves reap most of the gains, mainly through higher earnings.MoreLess -
Presenteeism at the workplace
Working when sick is a widespread phenomenon with serious consequences for workers, firms, and society
Claus Schnabel , May 2022Many workers admit that at times they show up for work even though they feel sick. This behavior, termed “presenteeism,” is puzzling since most workers do not incur financial losses when staying home sick. The various reasons behind presenteeism are person-related (e.g. individuals’ health or job attitude) or work-related (e.g. job demands and constraints on absence from work). Working when sick can have positive and negative consequences for workers’ performance and health, but it also affects co-workers’ well-being and firms’ productivity. There are various strategies as to how firms can address presenteeism.MoreLess
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May 24, 2022
The Middle East and North Africa are facing the highest rates of youth unemployment; 22,000 migrants have been prevented from entering the EU from Greece so far in 2022
Today’s global news summary brings news from the Middle East and North Africa, Greece, and the UK and discusses issues as diverse as youth unemployment, migration, and climate change. -
May 10, 2022
Ukraine’s Roma refugees face rejection in Poland; Climate change: 1.5C warming limit close to being broken
Today’s global news summary brings news from Poland, Spain, and the world and discusses issues as diverse as Roma refugee discrimination, climate change, and informal work. -
Apr 26, 2022
Emmanuel Macron wins a second presidential term; More than 11 million Ukrainians believed displaced
Today’s global news summary brings news affecting France, Ukraine, and Saudi Arabia, and discusses issues as diverse as the French election, refugee flows, and LGBTQ rights. -
Apr 12, 2022
Americans are not saving enough for retirement; Scotland’s unemployment rate has fallen but so has real wage growth
Today’s global news summary brings news from the US, Scotland, and the UK and discusses issues as diverse as retirement, unemployment, and higher education.
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Jun 01, 2022 - Jun 02, 2022
5th IZA Workshop on Gender and Family Economics: "Families as an Insurance Mechanism"
Online
The focus in 2022 will be on family economics and centered around: "Families as an Insurance Mechanism".
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Jun 03, 2022 - Jun 05, 2022
Canadian Economics Association: 56th Annual Meetings of the Canadian Economics Association
Ottawa, Ontario
The conference is hosted by Carleton University. Professor David Green of the University of British Columbia is the program chair, and Professor Frances Woolley of Carleton University is the local organizer.
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Jun 08, 2022 - Jun 09, 2022
21st IZA/SOLE Transatlantic Meeting of Labor Economists (TAM)
Online
The deadline for submission is March 31, 2022. Decisions of acceptance or rejection will be announced not later than April 30, 2022.
Panel discussion on the impact of Covid-19 and today's labor market in Europe and the U.S.
IZA World of Labor Panel discussion on inequality, unemployment, wage setting and inflation
IZA World of Labor Panel Discussion on Women in Leadership
Transgender people face significant economic challenges
The importance of extracurricular activities at school for future managers
School closures and effective in-person learning during Covid-19: When, where, and for whom