The Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) yesterday called on the need to fairly transition to a technology-driven workplace to preserve jobs.
“Technology, climate change, and demographic shift are the top change drivers that will shape and reshape the world of work. Th(e) workplace is being reshaped by these change drivers… Unless we do something positive, something deliberate, and something purposive, we will wake up one day to find a workplace that is not to our liking,” said Edgardo Lacson, chairman of ECOP, in his speech at the National Conference of Employers yesterday.
Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr., ECOP president, said while the economy embraces automation, robotics, digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI) and other technological advancements, “we have the human heart to put the primacy of humans over machines and their intelligent applications.”
“We (have to) make sure that robots and AI will not replace humans in the workplace. At best, we upskill and reskill the humans in our organizations to coexist and work harmoniously and effectively with intelligent machines in serving our customers, who are also humans,” Ortiz-Luis said.
Lacson urged members to adopt the following measures to make the shift more human-centric: reskill and upskill workers; empower customers; invigorate the supply chain; benefit the community and; adopt an all-of-society approach.
Lacson said the government and private sector must collaborate in reskilling and upskilling workers “so that we can preserve and create more jobs, as technology will change the job requirements in the near future.” Irma Isip
“ I do not want to wake up one day with a workplace where robots are supervising human beings. It is incumbent upon all of us to make sure that our employees can coexist with robots and intelligent machines. To make that happen, there must be a transition that will be just for all. There must be a workplace that is sustainable for all,” Lacson said.
According to Lacson, technology will change the nature of customer service such that customers will morph into prosumers – a combination of producer and consumer – where they will want to participate actively in choosing and customizing the products they want to buy.
To invigorate the supply chain, Lacson said employers should tap contractors to provide most of the things they need so that “they don’t have to make everything themselves.”
Lacson also called on employers to cease from giving dole outs to the community but should instead co-develop a new eco-system that benefits people in a community or society.
In pushing for an “all-of-society” approach, Lacson said all stakeholders from all sides of the supply chain must be involved in transitioning the workplace into something that benefits the whole society.
“All social partners have a stake in the success of the workplace,” he said.
