KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Jamaica Productivity Centre (JPC) will stage its fourth quarterly productivity forum for 2020/21 tomorrow.

The two-hour virtual event, which is scheduled to start at 10:00 am, will be held under the theme ‘Improving Productivity: Recovering and Adapting to the New Norm’.

Chief Technical Director at the JPC, Tamar Nelson, said that the forum will be used to engage experts in a robust two-hour discussion regarding Jamaica’s current and future outlook, especially in light of COVID-19.

“This forum will provide an opportunity for stakeholders from the public and private sectors, Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the JPC to have dialogue as it relates to policy recommendations and strategies that will improve economic and workplace efficiency that will lead to increased productivity,” Nelson said.

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Karl Samuda, leads the list of panellists, which will include International Labour Organization representative Jon Messenger, who is an expert on working time, work arrangements and working conditions.

He will present on the topic ‘Teleworking during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond’.

Nelson said that Messenger will be “deconstructing the whole matter of teleworking and moving forward”.

Representatives of the JPC’s Technical and Research Department, the MLSS and the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce will also be included on the panel.

Among the topics to be examined are ‘The Future of Work’, ‘Sustainability of Flexi-work Arrangements post COVID-19’, ‘Small Businesses: Impact and Possibilities’, ‘the role of the Government in facilitating the recovery process’ and ‘Digital Transformation’.

The JPC is the national organsation that is responsible for facilitating productivity improvement in Jamaica.

It is a tripartite organisation comprising the Government of Jamaica, the Jamaica ‘Confederation of Trade Unions and the Jamaica Employers’ Federation.