Breaking barriers, building resilience in the EU: gender equality for a future-ready workforce

The European Institute for Gender Equality envisages awarding a middle-value contract for a study on gender equality for a future ready workforce supported by relevant skills and gender-inclusive and resilient workplace in the EU. This study aims at monitoring the EU commitment to the Beijing Platform for Action and will guide the Council in making EU policies more effective in achieving gender equality objectives. Description of the requested services The EU faces major global and internal challenges requiring coordinated, forward-thinking solutions. Climate change, digitalisation, and technological shifts are compounded by a shrinking workforce and aging population. Addressing these challenges calls for realigning skills with labour market needs and strengthening care and healthcare systems. Disaggregating gendered labour is key to addressing labour demands and workforce gaps. Equipping populations with the necessary skills and institutional support for work-life balance is essential to meeting both economic and societal needs. The underrepresentation of women in fast-growing technological, green, and digital sectors impedes both women's economic progress and the EU's overall economic growth. The study will aim to provide a gender analysis of the challenges and opportunities in ensuring relevant skills and working conditions, especially work-life balance supportive workplaces, for a future-ready workforce (competitive, resilient and inclusive) in the EU. The study will focus on the two most gender segregated and resilience-critical areas of the economies: 1. the skills and jobs critical for the technological, digital and green transitions, and 2. the skills and jobs essential for ensuring societal and economic resilience - strong education, health and welfare (EHW). Firstly, the study will elaborate on the concepts of a resilient workforce and workplace and will identify key sectors, occupations, and skills relevant to the green, digital, and technological transitions. While these transitions often prioritise STEM, the role of strong EHW (education, health, and welfare) jobs and skills is also critical for resilient and future-ready workforce. Secondly, the study will assess projected skill supply and demand in selected EU sectors (e.g. based on Cedefop's Skills Forecast methodology). It will analyse how green, digital, and tech transitions affect gender balance or disparities within selected sectors. The study will test at least two skills projection scenarios for gender equality: one maintaining current trends and another reflecting increased women participation in relevant fields. Thirdly, based on literature review, the study will examine working conditions in key sectors to ensure a resilient workforce and sustainable, work-life balance-friendly workplaces. It will focus on factors such as workplace culture, support systems, informal care and access to care services, mental well-being, working time, flexibility, and lifelong learning. The study will estimate the impact of selected gender-responsive advancements-such as more women in managerial roles, flexible work, and quality care access-on attracting and retaining women in sectors affected by green, digital, and technological transitions. The study is expected to draw on desk research and literature review, incorporating available quantitative and qualitative data from academia, civil society, social partners, and governmental institutions. This includes high-quality, EU-wide comparative survey data where relevant. Access to and analysis of relevant microdata is also expected.