BY: ERIC HO

The advent of Artificial Intelligence, technology, robotics and automation is witnessing a dearth of employment as these hi-tech systems displace workers causing a lot of turmoil and confusion as the workforce grapples to understand these changes taking place.

This has resulted in lay-offs, redundancies and voluntary separation schemes being initiated as employers seek higher productivity at less cost to them and the elimination of human error by workers causing costly mistakes while at work.

But these developments, while many people have seen it forthcoming, does not negate the glaring fact that people need to work. The importance of work must not be underestimated as it is a major factor in making a person’s life meaningful and purposeful.

This translates into the reality that although hi-tech systems are calling the shots now, people must still be engaged in meaningful work, employment that gives them a sense of satisfaction and happiness and motivates and inspires them to excel at work.

Governments should not think of giving hand-outs only to the unemployed as this is a stop gap measure and does not solve the issue of being unemployed which is why there must be efforts put into the creation of meaningful jobs.

Instead of a dole or a welfare system to assist and aid those who are unemployed, there must be mechanisms and initiatives in place to retrain those who are unemployed and deploy them to work in new environments.

-THE MALAYSIA VOICE

** The views expressed on this opinion is of the writer and not the publisher