Parat's flagship issue for 2026/27

The project aims to highlight Parat’s flagship issue for 2026/27: “An inclusive working life”, which involves generating knowledge and debate on how working life can make room for more people, prevent exclusion, and ensure that as many as possible are able to make use of their skills and work capacity.

From a historical and international perspective, Norwegian employment rates are high, and unemployment rates low (Myklathun et al., 2025). According to NAV, however, around 700,000 people of working age are outside employment and education (NAV, 2025), while employers simultaneously report increasing shortages of skills and labour (Ministry of Finance, 2024).

Demographic developments characterised by an ageing population and smaller cohorts entering the labour market contribute to making inclusion, efforts to reduce sickness absence, measures to strengthen the working environment, and the prevention of exclusion from working life crucial to ensuring that as many people as possible are able to participate.

Furthermore, labour market restructuring and technological developments create both opportunities and barriers to an inclusive working life. While digital tools and artificial intelligence can lower barriers to labour market participation, they may also exacerbate inequalities if skills development does not keep pace.

An inclusive working life must therefore be both flexible and learning-oriented, enabling more people to participate and contribute throughout their working lives.

The project adopts a broad perspective on inclusion, encompassing topics such as life-course adaptation, working environment, bullying, and harassment. The project will take the form of a survey and qualitative interviews.

The flagship issue will highlight how the entire organisation, elected employee representatives, and social partner cooperation can be strengthened to facilitate an inclusive working life for the benefit of individuals and society at large.