Labour market resilience

The 'Innovative social and employment policies for inclusive and resilient labour markets in Europe' (INSPIRES) project seeks to explain employment policy differences within and between countries, and within and between the labour market positions of different vulnerable groups on the labour market.

In the first 18 months of the project, the most important deliverable is the resulting report benchmarking labour market resilience. This report gives an analysis and assessment of labour market resilience in 29 European countries. Objective data and regression analyses assessed national differences in responses to the financial crisis both between and within countries for the different vulnerable groups.

The report sheds light onto cross-country differences in the labour market resilience of the total population and offers insight into the different vulnerable groups in Europe. Many factors contribute to labour market resilience. These factors change over time and vary across the different vulnerable groups. Another discovery from the research is that youth and migrants were the most vulnerable groups across Europe in the aftermath of the recent crisis, both in terms of the highest increases in unemployment rates and the risk of poverty and social exclusion.

Nine country reports have been finalised, the final 2 are due in month 20. The most important dissemination activity in the first reporting period has been the creation of the INSPIRES website and the creation of a dissemination plan. In the next stages of the project, INSPIRES will identify which policies and institutional conditions play a role in the explanation of these differences.

Building on the completed research, the project continues by identifying the processes of policy learning and innovation. Interactions between policymakers, politicians, non-profit organisations, trade unions, business associations and other stakeholders at the European, national and regional levels are the next focus.