Enhancing service quality at the national employment services centres through digital finance skills

A deeper understanding of digital finance and wage payments equips public employment services officers with the ability to offer more effective support to their clients, especially small businesses and self-employed workers.

JAKARTA, Indonesia (Joint Press Release) – Public employment services counsellors play a vital role in Indonesia's employment system, enhancing job placement quality and promoting inclusive employment opportunities. Their responsibilities go beyond connecting job seekers with employers—they also support micro, small and medium-sized businesses (MSMEs) and self-employed workers.

To address the ongoing advancements in digital finance, the Ministry of Manpower, in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO), is working to enhance public employment service counsellors' awareness of financial digitalization and payment system. Taking place in Jakarta on 23 April and attended by more than 750 counsellors nationwide, this one-day capacity-building workshop aims to foster discussions on the benefits and challenges of digitalization, inclusive financial access and responsible digital wage payments for small business and self-employed workers.

Minister of Manpower, Yassierli, highlights the significance of public employment services counsellors having a strong understanding of the evolving digital finance landscape in today's era. This knowledge enhances their ability to provide more effective support to their clients, particularly small business and self-employed workers. "Greater access to digital finance and digital wage payments can not only foster business growth among MSMEs and self-employed workers but also enhance financial efficiency, transparency, and management—ultimately strengthening their rights protection," stated Minister Yassierli.

"Greater access to digital finance and digital wage payments can not only foster business growth among MSMEs and self-employed workers but also enhance financial efficiency, transparency, and management—ultimately strengthening their rights protection."

Yassierli, Minister of Manpower 

This capacity enhancing workshop is conducted based on the experiences of successful digitalization programmes of two ILO’s projects: Promoting Micro and Small Enterprises through Entrepreneurs’ Access to Financial Services project (Promise II Impact) and the Responsible Digital Wage Payments project. the ILO has advanced the digitalization of value chains for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in key sectors like agriculture, facilitated improved access to suitable financial services to drive business growth and job creation, and promoted responsible digital wage payments, particularly for vulnerable workers with limited financial literacy.

“The ILO is pleased to continue supporting the Ministry of Manpower, through the Directorate General of Manpower Placement Development and Expansion of Employment Opportunities, in strengthening the crucial role of public employment services counsellors. This support enables them to better assist small business and self-employed workers in enhancing their businesses' competitiveness and productivity to accelerate growth through digitalization and increased access to finance, while supporting greater protection of their workers' rights,” stated Simrin Singh, ILO Country Director for Indonesia and Timor-Leste.

The workshop featured panellists from the Directorate General of Manpower Placement Development and Expansion of Employment Opportunities, the Financial Services Authority (OJK), Bank Indonesia, and business associations. They shared insights and good practices on the importance of small business and self-employed workers actively embracing digitalization to drive business growth, expand financial inclusion and promote decent work. The discussion also emphasized the vital role of public employment service counsellors in supporting financial inclusion programmes for these workers.

For more information, please contact:
Arief Umar         
Coordinator of the ILO’s Responsible Digital Wage Payments Project in Indonesia  
[email protected]

Gita Lingga         
ILO Senior Information and Communications Management Assistant
[email protected]