The OECD Risks that Matter programme is a key output of the 2018 OECD Social Policy Ministerial in Montréal, Canada. Ministers called on the OECD to help governments better incorporate citizens’ opinions in the policy making process, better understand both real and perceived risks people face, and better adapt social protection to a world characterised by rapidly changing risks and opportunities. These priorities were outlined in the Social Policy Ministerial Statement, entitled “Social Policy for Shared Prosperity: Embracing the Future” (https://www.oecd.org/social/ministerial/).
In line with these goals, the OECD launched the first Risks that Matter (RTM) survey in spring 2018 under the supervision of the OECD’s Employment, Labour and Social Affairs Committee. Results from RTM 2018 showed that people in even the wealthiest countries in the world were clearly worried about their health and economic security, and they wanted government to do more when providing social protection.
Informed by these findings, the Secretariat began planning the 2020 round of RTM with a focus on economic insecurity and incorporating citizen feedback in policy design. But when COVID‑19 struck, the focus shifted to better capture people’s experiences during the pandemic.
In autumn 2020, RTM 2020 survey asked 25 000 respondents across 25 OECD countries about their experiences during the pandemic, their risk perceptions, and their preferences for government action. A first brief drawing on RTM 2020 data, entitled “The Long Reach of COVID‑19” (OECD, 2021[1]), was published in spring 2021, focusing on households’ economic insecurity. The current report presents broader results – on general risk perceptions and preferences for government policies – from the RTM 2020 survey.
The COVID‑19 crisis has created an urgent need to put in place smart and holistic social policy responses to address the challenges people have been facing. With this urgency in mind, this report situates risk perceptions and social policy preferences in the context of the pandemic. The OECD finds that respondents are very worried about their health, economic security, and long-term care. People who suffered job disruption during the pandemic, youths, and women are particularly stressed. And across OECD countries, respondents are critical about the degree of government support they receive. Most are calling for greater government intervention to ensure social protection.
As the economic recovery takes shape, governments must better incorporate citizen feedback in programme design and reform – to ensure inclusive and sustainable growth that benefits everyone.