Canadian workers resilient in face of pandemic, but lack new skills training, finds research
Canadians workers are proving resilient in the face of the hardships caused by the coronavirus pandemic, according to a report by the Environics Institute for Survey Research in partnership with the Future Skills Centre and Ryerson University’s Diversity Institute.
Nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) of Canadians said they feel confident in their abilities after the pandemic was declared, up from 61 per cent who said the same in an earlier survey. As well, 54 per cent said they feel they could bounce back quickly after hard times, up from 51 per cent before the pandemic.
“It is encouraging that Canadian workers felt equally resilient and supported by the social safety net before and after the onset of the pandemic, but many do not feel that support as strongly,” says Andrew Parkin, executive director of the Environics Institute, in a press release. “One of our greatest challenges remains getting help to those who need it the most.”
Read: 56% of Canadians say coronavirus negatively impacting mental health: survey
The survey found workers feel less well-supported through employer-delivered skills training. Half (51 per cent) of workers said they’ve had no such training in the last five years, with low-income workers (42 per cent) less likely to have received it compared to high earners (63 per cent).
“Skills development is an essential part of a comprehensive strategy for economic recovery and rebuilding a better future for workers after a pandemic or any economic shock,” said Pedro Barata, executive director of the Future Skills Centre. “Some sectors, populations and geographic areas will be harder hit than others, and governments and employers should be responsive to this.”
Further, close to half of workers said they’re very or somewhat worried about themselves or family members being able to find or keep a stable full-time job after the pandemic set in. Notably, the only province where workers didn’t indicate an increased level of pessimism was in Alberta where such feelings were already high before the pandemic.
Read: Coronavirus negatively impacting mental health of 50% of Canadians: survey
Fewer older workers (40 per cent) said they’re concerned about job security than those aged between 25 and 34 (56 per cent). And women (44 per cent) were more likely to say now is a bad time to find a job where they currently live compared to men (35 per cent).
Meanwhile, Canadians are somewhat more confident in support from the government. After the pandemic was declared, 65 per cent said they’re more likely to receive government support if they lost their job, while 61 per cent said so before.