Analysing the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) From the Perspective of Decent Work: A Comparison of the Pre- and Post-COVID-19 Periods

Abstract

This study presents a novel approach to COVID-19 impact analysis, delving into the correlation between the pandemic and the unemployment/NEET (youth not in employment, education or training) rates, labour productivity levels and practices regarding basic employee rights of UN member countries and the SDG. It juxtaposes two distinct periods: pre-COVID-19 (2017–2019) and COVID-19 (2020–2022). The study also evaluates the sufficiency/necessity levels of condition variables on SDG for both periods and aims to provide country-specific inferences. The data obtained from three different databases were analysed using symmetric (PLS-SEM) and asymmetric (fsQCA) methods to ensure that the findings are complementary to each other in order to increase the validity of the research. The study's findings unveil a significant negative relationship between NEET and SDG in both periods, with the strength of the relationship intensifying during the COVID-19 period. Importantly, the absence of NEET was identified as the sole necessary condition for the presence of SDG. These findings hold practical implications for policymakers and practitioners and enrich the sustainable development literature.