A Multi­tude of barriers – Analysing components in joblessness to inform policy in the Nordic countries

This report is the third in a research project examining how to increase labour market participation among vulnerable groups in the Nordic countries. The purpose of this report is partly to deepen our understanding of the prevalence of employment barriers among vulnerable groups and partly to group these individuals according to the employment barriers they face. In the report we show that:1. Individuals with no or weak labour market attachment typically face a complex set of employment barriers.2. It is possible to group the vulnerable individuals in the Nordic countries into 8 distinct data-driven target groups that share similar employment barriers.3. Traditional demographic target groups (i.e., young people, seniors, etc.) share common barriers, which challenge their distinct categorisation. These empirical findings demonstrate that future employment policies may derive greater benefits by focusing on the specific employment barriers faced by individuals rather than relying on broad demographic categories as a shorthand for the unique challenges experienced by individuals.