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.
The quantity–quality fertility–education trade-off
Policies to reduce fertility in developing countries generally boost education levels, but only slightly
At the national level, it has long been observed that a country's average education level is negatively associated with its total fertility rate. At the household level, it has also been well documented that children's education is negatively associated with the number of children in the family. Do these observations imply a causal relationship between the number of children and the average education level (the quantity–quality trade-off)? A clear answer to this question will help both policymakers and researchers evaluate the total benefit of family planning policies, both policies to lower fertility and policies to boost it.
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Does increasing the minimum wage reduce poverty in developing countries? Updated
Whether raising minimum wages reduces—or increases—poverty depends on the characteristics of the labor market and Households
T. H. Gindling , July 2024Raising the minimum wage in developing countries could increase or decrease poverty, depending on labor market characteristics. Minimum wages target formal sector workers—a minority in most developing countries—many of whom do not live in poor households. Whether raising minimum wages reduces poverty depends not only on whether formal sector workers lose jobs as a result, but also on whether low-wage workers live in poor households, how widely minimum wages are enforced, how minimum wages affect informal workers, and whether social safety nets are in place.MoreLess -
Sexual harassment in the workplace Updated
The #MeToo movement brought heightened attention to sexual harassment and a search for new approaches to combat it
Joni Hersch , July 2024Workplace sexual harassment is internationally condemned as sex discrimination and a violation of human rights, and more than 140 countries have enacted legislation prohibiting it. Sexual harassment increases absenteeism and turnover and lowers productivity and job satisfaction. Yet, it remains pervasive and underreported, as the #MeToo movement starkly revealed in October 2017. Standard workplace policies such as training and a complaints process have proven inadequate. Initiatives such as bans on confidential settlements and measures that support market incentives for deterrence may offer the most promise.MoreLess -
Unemployment benefits and unemployment Updated
The challenge of unemployment benefits is to protect workers while minimizing undesirable side effects
Robert MoffittWonsik Ko , June 2024All developed economies have unemployment benefit programs to protect workers against major income losses during spells of unemployment. By enabling unemployed workers to meet basic consumption needs, the programs protect workers from having to sell their assets or accept jobs below their qualifications. The programs also help stabilize the economy during recessions. If benefits are too generous, however, the programs can lengthen unemployment and raise the unemployment rate. The policy challenge is to protect workers while minimizing undesirable side effects.MoreLess -
The effects of public sector employment on the economy Updated
The size and wage level of the public sector affect overall employment volatility and the economy
Vincenzo CaponiSimone Nobili , June 2024Public sector jobs are established by governments to directly provide goods and services. Governments may also choose to regulate the size of the public sector in order to stabilize targeted national employment levels. However, economic research suggests that these effects are uncertain and critically depend on how public wages are determined. Rigid public sector wages lead to perverse effects on private employment, while flexible public wages lead to a stabilizing effect. Public employment also has important productivity and redistributive effects.MoreLess
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Jul 30, 2024
Soft skills can mitigate hiring discrimination
Study finds that signaling teamwork ability reduces ethnic bias against disfavored job applicants in Malaysia -
Jul 17, 2024
Larger, all-male groups most prone to lying
New study explores how group size and gender affect honesty in decision making -
Jul 15, 2024
Parents tend to steer sons towards traditional careers
Swiss study finds gender bias in vocational advice -
Jul 01, 2024
Why are wages often set at round numbers?
New study reveals "coarse wage-setting": Firms use simple heuristics when uncertain about optimal salaries
The surprising effects of education on family dynamics for men and women
Decoding gender bias: The role of personal interaction
10 years of IZA World of Labor
How political connections shape firm outcomes in Germany
Escaping the debt trap: Long-run effects of individual debt relief
Empowering local talent
ChatGPT in the workplace: Who's adopting and what's holding others back?
Small children, big problems
How perceived inequality shapes well-being
Reducing presenteeism
Essential yet vulnerable
Working from home increases work-home distances
Intergenerational mobility and credit
Mental health at scale
Parental investments
How differences in job search drive the gender earnings gap
From steel to skills
How human capital reshapes religious affiliation
From refugees to citizens
Transforming societies through education
The impact of abortion bans on birth rates
Reaching for gold!
Seasonal allergies and accidents
Redefining aging
Navigating innovation
Is vocational education and training (VET) an option to increase education and employment?
The parenthood penalty in mental health
How female leaders are transforming workplace dynamics
Managerial stress accelerates aging and increases mortality among CEOs
Traumas of the past
How Many Layoffs Could Be Avoided by Pay Cuts?
Were COVID and the Great Recession Well-being Reducing?
Closing the Gender Pay Gap: A Fresh Approach
Is Your Office Safe? Unpacking the #MeToo Numbers
Where are the fathers?
More accurate weather forecast and mortality
Why Degrowth won’t save the world
Exposure to war and its labor market consequences
Slow traffic, fast food: The effects of time lost on food store choice