The World Employment Confederation closed its 59th Annual Conference with a message of action, calling on the workforce solutions industry to better harness global talent during economic volatility.
Following two days of discussion from leaders in business, policy and international institutions, the World Employment Conference, hosted by the World Employment Confederation and ACSESS, the Association of Canadian Search, Employment and Staffing Services, exposed the pressures that are reshaping labour markets: AI and skills gaps, international talent mobility, quality of jobs, regulatory reform and competitiveness.
“As the World Employment Conference closed in Toronto, one message was clear: growth will increasingly depend on how effectively economies develop, match and mobilise talent,” said Bettina Schaller, President of the World Employment Confederation (WEC). “The issues we face in today’s global economy go far beyond talent gaps and shortages: the real challenge is how well labour markets connect people, skills and opportunity at scale.”
WEC calls on policymakers, employers and social partners to better harness global talent to drive growth. The following five priority areas set the stage for the 114th Session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva next month (June), where WEC and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) are set to sign a partnership agreement to strengthen standards in talent mobility and migration.
- Simpler labour market regulation
Labour market rules protect workers and support fair competition, but regulation must be clear, proportionate and workable in practice.
Menno Bart, Head of Policy Advocacy at The Adecco Group and Board Member for the WEC said during his ‘Legislation Driving Growth’ session at the conference: “Appropriate and simplified regulation drives competitiveness and growth. The European Commission puts a strong emphasis on enabling competitiveness, skills and reducing administrative burdens. This is particularly important in the use of digital labour platforms and artificial intelligence.”
- Put quality of jobs at the heart of growth
Labour market policy should recognise that good quality jobs can take different forms, including temporary, agency and flexible work.
“We must move beyond the idea that job flexibility and job quality are incompatible,” said Antonio Bonardo, President of WEC Europe. “Well-regulated, flexible work can support inclusion, opportunity, skills development and pathways into the labour market while enabling businesses to harness an otherwise untapped workforce.”
- Enable legal international talent mobility
Persistent structural labour shortages are concentrated in healthcare and technical roles, where demand continues to outpace supply globally.
WEC calls for international talent mobility frameworks that allow skilled talent to be matched to demand, while ensuring compliance and transparency for workers and employers alike.
- Invest in AI, innovation and workforce transition
Investing in innovation will improve how labour markets function, from supporting reskilling and strengthening intermediation, to providing better quality standards and access to opportunities for workers and businesses.
This is in line with the WEC’s AI Code of Conduct, which sets out principles for responsible AI in recruitment and employment, ensuring human oversight, fairness and transparency, and positioning AI as a tool to support professional judgement, improve inclusion and accessibility and reduce the burden of repetitive and low-value tasks.
- Put labour markets at the centre of competitiveness strategies
Competitiveness is shaped by how effectively economies match skills to demand and support people into work. Labour markets that are more responsive, inclusive and aligned with economic needs, are those that are outpacing others.
According to WEC’s recent Industry Impact Report 2026, data shows that the APAC region is currently outpacing Europe and North America in hiring growth due to a more aggressive adoption of digital sourcing and a faster speed-to-hire metric.
Schaller concluded: “To grow, we need labour markets that adapt, protect workers, and connect people with opportunity. WEC and its members stand ready to work with policymakers, employers and international institutions to make that happen.”
You can find more information about the WEC, including its most recent Industry Impact Report launched in March 2026, here: https://wecglobal.org/publication-post/private-employment-agencies-placed-61-million-people-in-jobs-in-2024-despite-revenue-decline/
