The ILO and the Cusco Chamber of Commerce hold first validation and training of trainers workshop on responsible wage digitization for MSMEs

The ILO’s Global Centre on Digital Wages for Decent Work and the Cusco Chamber of Commerce organized the first validation and training of trainers (ToT) workshop on responsible digitization of wage payments for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Cusco, Peru, on 30 November and 1 December 2023.
The workshop was an opportunity to engage with local trainers, test the contents and methodology of the course, collect feedback for improvement and to make further adaptations to the local context.

The validation and ToT workshop welcomed 15 professionals and trainers from various partner institutions in the regions of Cusco and La Libertad. This included the Chambers of Commerce, the training centre ‘Centro Integrado Formaliza Perú’ (of the Regional Management of Labour and Employment Promotion), the National Programme ‘Tu Empresa’ of the Ministry of Production, the Ecumenical Center for Promotion and Social Action (CEDEPAS), the financial service provider ‘Caja Trujillo’ and the Cusco branch of the Peruvian Central Reserve Bank.

The two-day workshop provided participants with knowledge, tools and strategies to assist enterprises and their workers to make a successful and responsible transition to digital wage payments. The workshop offered global insights on the use and benefits of digital wage payments for MSMEs. It highlighted the importance of a responsible transition towards digital wages, the steps to take and the challenges to implement responsible wage digitization. This includes human resources management elements, such as the creation of a digital payroll system, worker registration and the issuance of pay slips for workers.

On the first day of the workshop, the ILO technical team explained key concepts, knowledge and tools using theoretical and participatory methodologies. On the second day, the workshop attendees formed small groups and carried out a replication of the training sessions, showing innovation and creativity in the presentation of the topic and case studies. Throughout the workshop, the team collected suggestions and contributions to refine the training content and make it more aligned with the local context, needs and expectations of MSMEs.

The organizers held follow-up virtual coordination meetings with the attendees from Cusco and La Libertad to establish the next steps to replicate the training to MSMEs. The replication of the training for MSMEs will take place in early 2024.