Future of Work Tripartite Forum

The future of work is being shaped by 4 broad global megatrends: technology change, demographic change, globalisation and climate change. These global trends create both risks and opportunities for New Zealand.

The Future of Work Tripartite Forum (The Forum), which first met in August 2018, is a partnership between the Government, Business New Zealand as representatives of business groups, and the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions as representatives of unions. The Forum aims to support New Zealand businesses and workers to meet the challenges and opportunities presented in a rapidly changing world of work, and provides a place for these 3 social partners to discuss issues and work together to identify and implement solutions.

The Forum’s Strategic Assessment released in November 2019 outlines the key priorities that need to be addressed to build labour market and economic resilience, and to prepare New Zealand’s businesses and workforce for the future of work megatrends. The 5 broad strategic priorities for the Forum are:

  • Creating more adaptive and resilient institutions
  • Raising workplace productivity and wages
  • Responsive skills systems enabling learning for life
  • Helping workers find and keep decent jobs
  • Protecting vulnerable workers

Having strong social dialogue on these issues has strengthened employee and employer voice on important cross-cutting issues. The Forum meets three times a year and is supported by officials from MBIE and the Treasury. All documents for the Forum that were released earlier than February 2020 can be found on the Treasury website.

Forum documents released prior to February 2020(external link)

Background documents  

Future of Work Research Reports 2022/23

In 2022, the Future of Work Tripartite Forum commissioned 2 research projects, both designed to support a better understanding of how the transition to a high-wage, low-emissions economy is likely to impact businesses and workers.

Insights into emissions-intensive, trade-exposed businesses – Sapere

This research was commissioned to help better understand the steps that New Zealand’s emissions-intensive, trade-exposed businesses are taking to transition to a low-emissions economy, their view of what their future looks like within the current and proposed settings and what the barriers are (and solutions could be) in this space.

The Future of Jobs survey – Kantar Public

This research was commissioned to provide insights from some of New Zealand’s larger employers on their expectations about redundant and emerging jobs, current and future skills gaps, and the extent to which different parts of the workforce may be impacted by future economic change.

Future of Work Tripartite Forum meeting 26 June 2023

Future of Work Tripartite Forum meeting 3 April 2023

Future of Work Tripartite Forum meeting 14 November 2022

Future of Work Tripartite Forum meeting 19 September 2022

Future of Work Tripartite Forum meeting 27 June 2022

Future of Work Tripartite Forum meeting 28 March 2022

Future of Work Tripartite Forum meeting 8 November 2021

Future of Work Tripartite Forum meeting 23 September 2021

Future of Work Tripartite Forum meeting 28 June 2021

Future of Work Tripartite Forum meeting 22 March 2021

Future of Work Tripartite Forum meeting 27 July 2020

Future of Work Tripartite Forum meeting 23 March 2020 (cancelled due to COVID-19)

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Last updated: 14 August 2023