Labour Minister Emphasises Company Role in Worker Upskilling

Everyone has the potential to develop. Our task is to help discover and optimise that potential.

Jakarta (ANTARA) — Labour Minister Yassierli has stated that companies are not merely responsible for providing employment but also need to create space for workers to continue developing and enhancing their skills through upskilling.

The Labour Minister, speaking in Jakarta on Tuesday, expressed his view that workers should not spend years in the same position without opportunities to learn, improve their abilities, and prepare themselves for changes in the world of work.

“Everyone has the potential to develop. Our task is to help discover and optimise that potential,” he said.

The Labour Minister emphasised that worker development is an important part of healthy, humane, and sustainable industrial relations.

Workers given space to grow will develop stronger attachment to their workplace whilst driving corporate resilience amid change.

“We must understand this as a strategy. When we empower workers, when we strengthen them, it will provide a long-term effect for companies in the long run,” he said.

He explained that workers who feel supported do not merely carry out tasks as an obligation but also possess enthusiasm, a sense of ownership, and a desire to contribute more. Therefore, companies need to create a working environment that makes workers feel their role is meaningful.

Additionally, he believes that the values of mutual cooperation (gotong royong), family spirit, and deliberation need to continue to be fostered in the relationship between workers and companies.

According to him, these values represent social strength that can serve as an important asset for Indonesia in facing future developments in industrial relations.

Amid increasingly rapid changes in the world of work, Yassierli also expressed concern if there are still workers who have served for 10 years, even 20 years, without experiencing any development.

Therefore, he stressed that the task of companies is not only to provide employment but also to help workers recognise their best potential, expand their skills, and create opportunities for them to advance.

This step, in his view, is important so that workers are equipped to adapt to change and do not remain at the same level indefinitely.

Yassierli also reminded that the future workplace will face increasingly high levels of uncertainty. In such situations, the ability to adapt becomes key, both for workers and companies.