Future of work
A curated resource of recent research on trends shaping Canada's labour market.
Key Takeaway: Working from home may have been a blessing for some, but not for all.
In late 2020, as the pandemic’s second wave gathered momentum in Canada and the number of new COVID-19 cases steadily increased, the second wave of the Survey on Employment and Skills was conducted, focusing on how Canadians have been affected by the disruptions caused by the pandemic. The report highlights the experience of individuals who were able to work from home and those who were not. Due to the improbability that life will revert completely to the way it was pre-pandemic, it is important to understand the underlying inequalities present in our society. The report’s aim is to expose how working from home is closely tied to one’s socioeconomic situation. It specifies how Canadians who are more economically vulnerable are more likely to be working outside the home, how immigrants and racialized Canadians felt that working from home would have a negative impact on their careers, and how those with a physical or mental disability did not have the right equipment to properly work from home.