This document summarizes the key findings of a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center of 183 attendees of the 2019 OECD Forum. The survey asked about views related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the economy, automation, and multilateralism. Some high-level findings include: majorities of both forum attendees and publics say their lives have changed due to the pandemic; forum attendees are more optimistic about short-term economic improvements than long-term job security; most see automation as beneficial but having severe impacts like rising inequality; and forum attendees strongly support addressing global issues through international cooperation more so than general publics.

1. How Do OECD Forum Attendees Compare With
Citizens Around the World on Views About
the Pandemic, the Economy, and Multilateralism?
Richard Wike
Director, Global Attitudes Research

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Who we are: A nonprofit ‘fact tank’ that informs the public about
the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. We are
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positions or make recommendations.
We are a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts, our primary
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research and data that drive discussion.
What we do: Generate a foundation of facts to enrich public
dialogue and support sound decision-making. We conduct public
opinion polling, demographic research, content analysis and data-
driven social science research.

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Research Programs
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Research Methodology
Data Labs
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Journalism & Media
Social & Demographic Trends
Religion & Public Life
Internet & Technology

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Methodology
• Results of online survey of 183 registered 2019 OECD Forum
attendees conducted from Nov. 23-Dec.9, 2020
• General public surveys:
• 2020 Global Attitudes Survey of 14 countries (June-August)
• 2019 Global Attitudes Survey of 12 countries
• Additional results from survey of U.S. adults conducted May 2017
• In each country, samples are representative of the adult (18+) population

5. COVID AND BUILDING BACK BETTER
5

6. 25%
42
61%
58
OECD Forum attendees
14-country median
Not too much/Not at all Great deal/Fair amount
6
OECD attendees and general publics say coronavirus
outbreak has had major impact on their lives
Note: 14-country medians include data from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, South Korea, Spain,
Sweden, the UK and the U.S. Those who did not answer are not shown.
Source: 2020 Pew Research Center survey of OECD Forum attendees and Summer 2020 Global Attitudes Survey.
% who say their life has changed __ as a result of the coronavirus outbreak

7. 0%
57%
48
0
21%
36
0%
28%
46
0
66%
59
OECD Forum attendees
14-country median
OECD Forum attendees
14-country median
UnitedDivided
No amount of cooperation between
my country and other countries would
have reduced the number of
coronavirus cases in this country
7
Many say their country is more divided now than before the
pandemic
Note: 14-country medians include data from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, South Korea, Spain,
Sweden, the UK and the U.S. Those who did not answer are not shown.
Source: 2020 Pew Research Center survey of OECD Forum attendees and Summer 2020 Global Attitudes Survey.
% who say their country is now more __ than before the coronavirus outbreak
% who say …
If my country had cooperated
more with other countries, the
number of coronavirus cases
would have been lower in this
country

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What to keep and what to discard after the pandemic
Source: 2020 Pew Research Center survey of OECD Forum attendees.
% who say, when the coronavirus pandemic is over, it would be a good thing if …
85%
69
67
57
55
47
30
b
a
g
c
e
f
d
Many people continue to work
remotely
Employees are given the opportunity
to have a more flexible schedule
Robots and computers do more jobs
that used to be done by humans
Many social interactions and social
events continue to take place via
web-based platforms
Schools, including adult learning,
continue to incorporate distance
learning
Online shopping continues to grow
The use of telehealth by doctors
continues to grow

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How to build back better: government
Many policymakers, experts and ordinary citizens are talking about how to build society back better once the
coronavirus pandemic is over. In your opinion, what are the key policy ideas that governments should
consider as they plan for life after the pandemic?
“Invest more in health - infrastructure,
prevention, innovation. We cannot have a
healthy economy without a healthy
population!”
“The coronavirus crisis has amplified a
number of underlying trends (digital
meetings, search for authenticity etc.).
Government should try to retain the best
of them through a broad societal
evaluation of the coronavirus crisis
period.”
“Western democracies have to ask
themselves hard questions. How come
they were unable to protect their
populations, while Korea and Japan
managed to?”
“We have learned that we are more
capable of big changes in the way we live
our lives than we previously thought.
Capitalize on this capability to develop a
'green recovery' where we come out of
the crisis with a more sustainable
economy that has more solidarity among
social partners.”
Note: Quotations may have been edited for grammar, spelling and clarity.
Source: 2020 Pew Research Center survey of OECD Forum attendees.

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How to build back better: civil society
In your opinion, what are the key issues that civil society organizations should focus on as they plan for life after
the coronavirus pandemic?
“Reduce inequality, improve the places
where people live. Encourage
communities to work/live better together.”
“They must focus on structural
inequalities and the intersection between
social and economic inequalities.”
“Analyze this pandemic with lessons
learned in order to be better prepared
for the next one. Encourage
relationships among various
communities; augment inclusion; help
all, especially the poor, get an
education and jobs. Support social
cohesion among populations who
might not get along otherwise.”
Note: Quotations may have been edited for grammar, spelling and clarity.
Source: 2020 Pew Research Center survey of OECD Forum attendees.

11. VIEWS OF THE ECONOMIC FUTURE
11

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Many OECD attendees expect some economic
improvement in next year
Note: Those who did not answer are not shown.
Source: 2020 Pew Research Center survey of OECD Forum attendees.
% who say the current economic
situation in their country is …
% who expect the economic situation in
their country to __ over the next 12
months
29%
0
52
70%
0
12
35
Stay the same
Worsen
Improve
Bad
Good

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Long-term economic pessimism
Those who did not answer are not shown.
Source: 2020 Pew Research Center survey of OECD Forum attendees.
% who say when children today in their
country grow up, they will be __
financially than their parents
% who say the average working person
in their country will have __ by the
year 2050
35%
0
11
63%
0
23
62
About the same
Less job security
More job security
Worse off
Better off

14. ATTITUDES TOWARD AUTOMATION
14

15. % who say in the next 10 years, we __ see the
emergence of new educational and training programs
that can successfully train large numbers of workers in
the skills they will need to perform the jobs of the future
15
Overall positive attitudes toward automation
Note: Those who did not answer not shown.
Source: 2020 Pew Research Center survey of OECD Forum attendees.
70%
16 14
Will Will not Don't knowGood Bad
76%
Very
Somewhat
17
% who say that robots and computers doing much of
the work currently done by humans is a __ thing for
their country

16. % who think it is likely that __ if robots and computers were able to do much of the work currently being
done by humans …
16
Impact of automation
Source: 2020 Pew Research Center survey of OECD Forum attendees.
69%
69
67
64
63
52
Inequality between rich and poor would be
much worse than it is today
Ordinary people would have a hard time finding
jobs
The economy would be much more efficient
There would be new, better-paying jobs
People would find their jobs more meaningful
and fulfilling since machines would mostly be
doing things that people find unappealing
People would be able to focus less on work
and more on the things that really matter to
them in life

17. % who say __ should have a lot of responsibility in making sure that their country’s workforce has the
right skills and education to be successful in the future
17
Who is responsible for dealing with automation?
Source: 2020 Pew Research Center survey of OECD Forum attendees.
69%
65
62
52
23
Schools
Governments
Individuals themselves
Employers
Labor unions

18. % who say that it is likely that the following jobs will be mostly replaced by robots or computers
in their lifetime
18
What jobs will be replaced by automation?
Source: 2020 Pew Research Center survey of OECD Forum attendees.
78%
67
64
50
39
25
24
13
Insurance claims processor
Fast food worker
Legal clerk
Software engineer
Construction worker
Their own job or profession
Teacher
Nurse

19. % who say they are __ about the development of algorithms that can evaluate and hire job candidates
19
More concern than enthusiasm about job hiring algorithms
Note: Those who did not answer not shown.
Source: 2020 Pew Research Center survey of OECD Forum attendees and Pew Research Center survey conducted May 1-15, 2017.
3
21
19
46
49
25
28
7
Enthusiastic
Worried
3%
17
25%
46
42%
22
17
2
Enthusiastic
Worried
Very Not too Not at allSomewhat
U.S. Adults, 2017
OECD, 2020

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Skills needed in workforce of the future
Note: Quotations may have been edited for grammar, spelling and clarity.
Source: 2020 Pew Research Center survey of OECD Forum attendees.
“Skills that counterbalance the jobs done
by robots and atomization such as
empathy, leadership, and motivational
skills that inspire and connect people.”
“Flexibility and the ability to cooperate and
collaborate.”
What are the most important skills needed to succeed in the workforce of the future?
“It is common today to emphasize on
the importance of soft skills. That's very
important. But I believe also that basic
skills like good analysis, quick
comprehension, ability to synthesize
remain very important.”

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What can governments do to prepare?
Thinking about a future where robots and computers do much of the work currently done by humans, what’s the
most important thing that governments need to do to prepare for this future?
“Governments need to review current
employment laws and make sure that
people take benefit from technological
breakthroughs in a form of more time for
themselves, but without compromising
their income.”
“First, governments and educational
professionals need to acknowledge this
unavoidable transformation. Ensure
maybe through legislation that we do not
end up with a society where the winner
takes all and the rest go jobless.”
“Make sure people still have a purpose.”
“Change tax systems so that
businesses using robots would pay
relevant taxes, which then could be
redistributed to people. There is a need
to put policies in place to avoid rich
getting richer due to technologies and
poor being left behind.”
Note: Quotations may have been edited for grammar, spelling and clarity.
Source: 2020 Pew Research Center survey of OECD Forum attendees.

22. KEY INTERNATIONAL THREATS
22

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Climate change is seen as a top threat
% who say the following are a major threat to their country
Note: 14-country medians include data from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, South Korea, Spain,
Sweden, the UK and the U.S.
Source: 2020 Pew Research Center survey of OECD Forum attendees and Summer 2020 Global Attitudes Survey.
14-country median OECD Forum attendees Diff
% %
The spread of nuclear weapons 61 35 +26
Terrorism 66 42 +24
Cyberattacks from other countries 65 50 +15
The spread of infectious diseases 69 56 +13
Long-standing conflict between
countries or ethnic groups
48 35 +13
Global poverty 53 45 +8
Large numbers of people moving from
one country to another
40 35 +5
Global climate change 70 67 +3
The condition of the global economy 58 57 +1

24. MULTILATERALISM AND INTERNATIONAL
COOPERATION
24

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Characteristics of international organizations
Note: 14-country medians include data from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, South Korea, Spain,
Sweden, the UK and the U.S. In Australia and Canada, question asked about “COVID-19.” In Japan, asked about “novel coronavirus.” In South Korea, asked
about “Corona19.”
Source: 2020 Pew Research Center survey of OECD Forum attendees, Summer 2020 Global Attitudes Survey.
14-country median
76%
74
65
61
61
59
53
51
Promotes human rights
Promotes peace
Promotes economic
development
Promotes action on
infectious diseases, like
coronavirus
Promotes action on
climate change
Advances the interests of
countries like theirs
Cares about the needs of
ordinary people
Deals effectively with
international problems
% of OECD attendees
71%
72
72
68
74
58
49
48

26. 5%
17
0
8%
40
0
32%
0%
80%
81
0
76%
58
0
54%
OECD Forum attendees
12-country median
OECD Forum attendees
14-country median
OECD Forum attendees
Independent nations that compete with other
countries and pursue their own interests
Part of a global community that
works together to solve problems
Take into account other countries'
interests even if it means making
compromises with them
Follow its own interests even
when other countries
strongly disagree
Common problems Common values
26
Support for international cooperation
Note: 14-country medians include data from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, South Korea, Spain,
Sweden, the UK and the U.S. Belgium and Denmark not surveyed in 2019. Those who did not answer are not shown.
Source: 2020 Pew Research Center survey of OECD Forum attendees, Summer 2020 Global Attitudes Survey and Spring 2019 Global Attitudes Survey.
% who say countries around the world, including theirs should act as…
% who say, when dealing with major international issues, their country should …
% who say __ are more important for bringing nations together

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All Pew Research Center reports are available online at
www.pewresearch.org
Richard Wike
Director, Global Attitudes Research
@RichardWike