Labour Minister Emphasises Importance of Worker Innovation Amidst Global Changes

The Minister of Manpower, Yassierli, has urged workers to maintain a spirit of innovation amidst the dynamics of global geopolitics, geo-economics, and rapid technological advancements. “Our productivity may already be good, but the philosophy of an innovative worker is that there is always room for improvement and innovation,” he stated in a written statement received on Tuesday.

Yassierli made these remarks while attending an employee assembly at PT Panasonic Gobel Indonesia in Jakarta. He noted that technological developments, such as computers, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital sensors, should be viewed as supporting tools to enhance productivity and work quality.

“I studied industrial engineering for quite some time and learned much from Japanese work culture regarding continuous improvement,” Yassierli said. He expressed his belief that the spirit of innovation within the Panasonic environment has grown well and needs to be strengthened more massively by involving all elements of the company, including trade unions.

“There is a culture and a spirit of growing together towards shared goals. This combination of Japanese-style discipline and Indonesian-style kinship is excellent and gives rise to various cultural innovations,” he added.

In addition to innovation, the Minister emphasised the importance of workers remaining relevant amidst accelerating technological progress. “Innovation and productivity require new competencies. Therefore, the spirit of continuous learning must always be maintained. We must ensure that no employee is left behind; everyone is entitled to upskilling and reskilling,” Yassierli asserted.