New technology enables tasks to be completed in better and more efficient ways than before. But it also changes value chains, business models, skill requirements, and power dynamics in the workplace. Artificial intelligence and digitalisation are transforming how we work and what we work on.

One concern is whether these developments might lead to job losses. More certain is that the content of many jobs will change through the streamlining and automation of tasks and new ways of working. Technology also affects how work processes are organised, executed, and managed. Platform work is one example, while algorithmic management and new opportunities for control and surveillance also impact more established parts of the labour market.

Climate change brings changes to the natural conditions for work and industry, especially related to extreme weather events. To limit climate change and meet future market demands, a green transition is required. This involves reducing carbon emissions and developing new, green industries. This affects the entire economy and touches both the public and private sectors, but has been particularly relevant in the energy sector: Petroleum activities account for a quarter of Norway's emissions, and we need more power.

Demands for a "just transition" come from both the labour movement and the environmental movement, focusing on the inclusion and consideration of vulnerable groups in the green transition. This is particularly relevant, but not limited to, certain local communities and employee groups.

Fafo researches the consequences of these trends for the labour market and working life in general. We are interested in how the social partners engage with and are affected by these trends, both nationally and at the enterprise level. We also study how different workers experience these changes and what expectations they have for fair transition processes. We examine how these processes affect occupational structure, wages, and skill requirements, and we ask how the workforce can be adapted and transformed to meet future demands, with a particular focus on the most vulnerable occupational groups.