The OECD Employment Outlook provides an annual assessment of key labour market developments and prospects in OECD member countries. Each edition also includes several chapters that focus on specific aspects of the functioning of labour markets and the implications for policies to promote more and better jobs. The 2025 edition of the OECD Employment Outlook examines the challenges that population ageing poses to current living standards, labour markets, and social cohesion more generally. The consequences of an ageing workforce for productivity growth are also investigated. Policies to address these demographic changes are analysed. The first chapter assesses recent labour market and wage developments.
The OECD Employment Outlook 2025 is the joint work of staff of the Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs (ELS). The Outlook has also greatly benefitted from comments from other OECD Directorates and contributions from national government delegates and national institutions. However, the Outlook’s assessment of the labour market prospects for each country does not necessarily correspond to those made by the national authorities and institutions concerned.
This report was edited by Andrea Bassanini. The lead authors for individual chapters were Alexandre Georgieff and Sébastien Martin (Chapter 1); Andrea Bassanini, Emily Farchy, Sebastian Königs, António Melo and Javier Terrero Dávila (Chapter 2); Andrew Aitken (Chapter 3); Ada Zakrzewska (Chapter 4); and Jonas Fluchtmann, Alexander Hijzen and Agnès Puymoyen (Chapter 5). Specific contributions to Chapter 5 were also made by Eliana Viviano, Patrick Bennett, César Barreto, Felipe Bento Caires, Lucas Chen, Jose Garcia-Louzao, Dogan Gülümser, Salvatore Lattanzio, Benjamin Lochner, Stefano Lombardi, Tahsin Mehdi, Jordy Meekes, Balázs Muraközy, Marco G. Palladino, Kjell Salvanes, Oskar Nordström Skans, Rune Vejlin and Wouter Zwysen. The whole report also benefitted from extensive comments from Stefano Scarpetta (Director of ELS), Mark Pearson (Deputy Director of ELS), Stéphane Carcillo, Jean‑Christophe Dumont, Glenda Quintini and Theodora Xenogiani (Heads of Division), as well as Stijn Broecke, Shruti Singh, Hervé Boulhol, Jeff Israely and Rebecca Bonthuis. The infographic is based on contributions from Alastair Wood. Pascal Marianna was responsible for the statistical annex. Statistical support was provided by Sébastien Martin, Agnès Puymoyen and Dana Blumin. Editorial assistance was provided by Hagai Glebocki, Lucy Hulett and Marc Simion.