Stijn Baert is a professor of labor economics at Ghent University. He is also the main promoter of UGent @ Work. This interdisciplinary consortium of UGent professors researches work and the labor market. He is a respected thought leader and has received several scientific awards. Stijn's flamboyant style is also remarkable. He was referred to several times in the media as a “poster boy professor”. Stijn is also an enthusiastic and substantively very strong speaker on themes related to work and the labor market.

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Keynote: The war for talent - On the fire, the puzzle and the pond

Whereas in the past employees had to fight for a job, today companies are fighting for employees, as the saying goes. In this keynote, Stijn Baert takes an objective look at the intense war for talent. He demonstrates that it is indeed fiercer now than in the past and more pronounced here than elsewhere. He also warns that we risk moving from a record number of job openings to a record number of missed opportunities.

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He then analyses two underlying issues: the mismatch between available jobseekers and vacancies, and the fact that the talent pool employers can draw from is too small due to the high level of inactivity in our country. Stijn Baert concludes with several breakthroughs that our governments could achieve to address these challenges.

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This keynote particularly resonates with entrepreneurial, working and investing Flemish audiences who have an interest in politics and economics.

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Keynote: Trends in our labour market

In this keynote, Stijn Baert explores key trends shaping the world of work and the labour market. Topics such as the high number of long-term sick employees, the war for talent, the growing demand for remote work, diversity in the workplace and artificial intelligence (AI) take centre stage. He connects the latest data and research with opportunities for governments, organisations and employees.

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This keynote is engaging for a wide audience. It is relevant for both employees and employers, across the private and public sectors, and for everyone from those under 25 to those over 65.

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Keynote: AI and the labour market

In this keynote, Stijn Baert explains why AI and technology will, in principle, create more jobs than they will replace worldwide. However, this does not mean that every sector and every country will come out as a winner. What needs to happen for Belgium to avoid missing the train?

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This keynote is engaging for a wide audience. It is relevant for both employees and employers, across the private and public sectors, and for everyone from those under 25 to those over 65.

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Inspiration session: Wellbeing at work

The number of burn-outs in our country is skyrocketing. Are employers to blame? Or are employees simply not resilient enough? In this keynote, Stijn Baert takes a clear stand. He explains that investing in wellbeing at work benefits everyone: employers, employees and the government. Drawing on scientific research, he presents practical ways to improve workplace wellbeing.

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In this session, Stijn Baert actively engages the audience by asking: what are the smartest things you have done in recent years to boost your own wellbeing and that of your employees?

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This keynote is engaging for a wide audience. It is relevant for both employees and employers, across the private and public sectors, and for everyone from those under 25 to those over 65.

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