A high employment rate is a cornerstone of the Nordic welfare model, as well as a crucial factor for national competitiveness. Everyone should have the opportunity to obtain gainful employment and enjoy a good working life. Compared to the population in general, people with disabilities have a lower employment rate and face greater challenges in working life.
The Nordic Council of Ministers’ vision is that the Nordic region will become the most integrated, sustainable and competitive region in the world by 2030. This vision reflects the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. SDG 8.5 is to achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value. The right of people with disabilities to work is recognised in Article 27 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This includes the right to a work environment that is open, inclusive and accessible to persons with disabilities.
Present-day and future working lives are greatly affected by rapid technological development. Among the technologies that are becoming increasingly common are artificial intelligence and robots. New technological solutions present both opportunities and obstacles.
In 2019, the Labour Market Committee of the Nordic Committee of Senior Officials for Labour (ÄK-A) tasked the Nordic Welfare Centre with leading a project on the future labour market for people with disabilities. The aim of this project was to identify and disseminate knowledge of digital and technical solutions that increase opportunities for people with disabilities on the labour market and in working life. The mission included studying the need for research and innovation. The project has prepared three publications: a knowledge compilation on research and research needs; a toolbox for implementing digital and technical solutions; and a collection of examples of digital and technical solutions implemented in the Nordic region. This publication presents a summary of the knowledge compilation and toolbox.
The Inclusive Workplace: A Toolbox has been prepared by Rudolph Brynn of consultancy Universell Utformning AS, and includes a chapter by Gunnar Michelsen on testing assistive technology in the workplace.