The impact of digital technology on jobs and the economy

As part of the Social Agenda 2016, the social partners shared a first reflection on the impact of digital technology on the French economy. In particular, they examined the normative, social and economic consequences of the development of digital tools in our society.

The results of these discussions between the social partners have been taken up in a document published recently and making it possible to make an initial assessment of the impact of digital on the activity of companies.

The place of humans within the company is evolving

The reflection carried out by the social partners deals with the impact of digital on society as a whole:

• The tax impacts and the regulatory impacts of this digital upheaval
• Means for overcoming digital fractures
• The protection of data from digital transformation.

In companies, social partners also note that digital transforms working organizations and habits. It reverses social dialogue by introducing methods of communication and information different from traditional methods.

Moreover, it reduces the boundaries between work and private life, which calls for a “right to disconnect”

Strengthening of training and social protection

Faced with the digital revolution, the social partners affirm that it will be essential to train in the course of life. They also announce that there is a need to strengthen vocational training. It must be able to keep pace with the evolution of skills while responding to new needs in terms of know-how mastery. Indeed, they allow to deal with complex problems such as robotic maintenance.

Moreover, in the face of the emergence of new types of activities, the social partners are questioning the future of employees and social protection. In particular, they concentrate on the means to enable everyone to acquire sufficient social rights financed. Among them, they propose to create a “base of universal rights”, still a matter for reflection for these social partners.