The OECD Employment Outlook provides an annual assessment of key labour market developments and prospects in OECD member countries. Each edition also contains several chapters focusing on specific aspects of how labour markets function and the implications for policy in order to promote more and better jobs. The 2021 edition is devoted to navigating the COVID‑19 crisis and recovery. Chapter 1 focusses on the labour market impact of the crisis and its consequences for vulnerable groups. Chapter 2 provides a first assessment of the role of job retention schemes during the crisis. Chapter 3 analyses how active labour market policies have responded to the challenges posed by the crisis. Chapter 4 assesses the extent and consequences of domestic outsourcing for the labour market. Finally, Chapter 5 focusses on trends in working time, including teleworking, and its regulations.
OECD Employment Outlook 2021 is the joint work of staff of the Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs (ELS). The whole Outlook has also greatly benefited from comments from other OECD directorates and contributions from national government delegates. However, its assessments of each country’s labour market prospects do not necessarily correspond to those made by the national authorities concerned.
This report was edited by Andrea Bassanini, and is based on contributions from Emily Farchy, Satoshi Araki, Fabio Manca and Agnès Puymoyen (Chapter 1), Alexander Hijzen, Andrea Salvatori and Agnès Puymoyen (Chapter 2), Stewart Butler, Kristine Langenbucher, Anne Lauringson and Theodora Xenogiani (Chapter 3), Andrew Green (Chapter 4), and Sandrine Cazes, Chloé Touzet and Sébastien Martin (Chapter 5). The report benefitted from extensive comments from Stefano Scarpetta (Director of ELS), Mark Pearson (Deputy Director of ELS), Stéphane Carcillo (Head of the Jobs and Income Division of ELS), Mark Keese (Head of the Skills and Employability Division of ELS) and Stijn Broecke. The infographic is based on contributions from Alastair Wood. Pascal Marianna was responsible for the statistical annex. Specific contributions were provided by Marius Lüske and Morgan Williams. Statistical support was provided by Sébastien Martin, Agnès Puymoyen and Dana Blumin. Editorial assistance was provided by Liv Gudmundson, Lucy Hulett, Niamh Kinane, and Isabelle Reullon.