The first conference organised by the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy (MRPiP) as part of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union took place on 20-21 February 2025 at the European Solidarity Centre in Gdańsk. The discussion focused on the challenges of automation, changes in employment models and the need to adapt social policy to dynamic technological changes.

The second conference organised by the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy under the theme “Building a digital future in occupational health and safety” takes place at the National Stadium in Warsaw on 3-4 April 2025.

Today we focus on the safety and well-being of employees. It is vitally important, for all the fascination with the possibilities of digitisation, to approach its applications sensibly. And we are not just talking about cyber security, but also about the increasing handing over of decisions to algorithms and machines, which in many cases can lead to risks - both physical and psychological. While the former can be eliminated by fine-tuning the technicalities, the social effects - such as a potential increase in “technological unemployment'”- can have difficult to predict consequences for the labour market

- said Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, Minister for Labour while opening the conference.

Occupational health and safety in the age of digital revolution

The head of the MRPiPS emphasized that considerations regarding the ethical and social implications of the digital future are timely. In her view, we need to constantly analyse both the benefits and risks of digital transformation and, above all, its impact on the labour market and quality of life. 

I hope that these reflections, which also include the still underestimated issues of occupational health and safety in a just digital transformation in society, especially from a research perspective, will allow a further step towards building the well-being of employees

– Minister Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk emphasised.

She noted that the issues of universal standards regarding artificial intelligence are included in the Act on artificial intelligence adopted last year, according to which AI applications used in sensitive areas must meet stringent safety standards, including those related to human rights.

The Minister of Labour added that it would also be advisable in the future to regulate labour rights (including the safety of employees in the working environment) or intellectual property rights. Only a complementary approach to regulation will maintain standards for stable and flexible workplaces that facilitate work-life balance.

More about the conference organised by the Ministry of Labour

The recipients of the conference organized by the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy under the slogan “Building a digital future in occupational health and safety” are representatives of the European Union member states in the Tripartite Advisory Committee on Safety and Health at Work (ACSH), as well as representatives of the Executive of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA), members of the national focal points of EU-OSHA, and representatives of universities and research institutes engaged in occupational safety research, representatives of Polish and European institutions that have issues related to occupational safety and health within their competencies, as well as representatives of social partner organizations.

The first day of the conference was dedicated to discussing issues such as the ethical and social implications of a digital future, the digital future of OSH from the European research perspective and the positive and negative aspects of digital transformation.

On the second day of the conference, participants will focus on issues relating to the impact of digital transformation on the labour market, the potential of the silver economy and the management of health and safety versus new forms of work.