In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, workplaces in Canada and around the world closed facilities in response to emergency government requirements, and workers who could perform their duties from home, began to work remotely. As conditions evolved, workers experienced many transitions in policies and work practices. COVID-19 Impacts on Faculty and Staff: Changing the way employees work (Wave 1 & 2) is a project that investigates the impact of these changes in working arrangements at York University, specifically among academic and administrative staff.
The first part of the study is based on a survey conducted at York University in August/September 2020 (Wave 1), and the second part on the Wave 2 survey findings based on data collected in April/May 2022. The project makes an important contribution to knowledge by capturing the state of working arrangements during the period following the emergence of the pandemic, and after workers had time to adjust to the transition in homeworking arrangements. It looks at factors such as (1) preferred arrangement of work, (2) changes in work arrangements (3) personal experiences/ satisfaction, and (4) work expectations, workspace, and work environment.
The original survey for the study was designed and led by Professor Emeritus David Peetz and Professor Emeritus Glenda Strachan at Griffith University in Australia, and the survey was administered at universities in Australia and Canada, with an adapted version used for the Canadian context. The research at York was led by Assistant Professor Kelly Pike, School of Human Resource Management with quantitative data analysis by Assistant Professor James Chowhan, School of Human Resource Management. It received the guidance and support of the Global Labour Research Centre Director, Luann Good Gingrich and GLRC Coordinator Hajer Mirwali, with undergraduate students, Thu Pham and Aaron Pidwerbecki (supported by the LA&PS Dean’s Award for Research Excellence) contributing with data visualisation and website development support.
Post-pandemic, as working arrangements and conditions continue to evolve, we will be able to better understand the impacts of new models of work organization on employee work- life balance, health, and performance outcomes, our study shows the results are mixed, there is good news and bad.
— Prof. James Chowhan
Study findings and related details can be accessed on the project website. To know more or collaborate, connect with the Global Labour Research Centre.
