Employees highly privileged since the outbreak of the corona crisis
In terms of job security, employees appear to be highly privileged since the outbreak of the corona crisis. This picture emerges from a worldwide comparison of reported job loss, when comparing those in employment and all other working people. A typical example are the US-figures: here 7% of respondents who enjoyed the employee status before the crisis report that they have lost their job recently, against 21% of all other workers (not employees). Combined, these result in job loss reported by (almost) 1 in 6 respondents. Similar figures come from the more developed economies in Europe. Here the reported job loss amongst employees is smaller than in the US, as is the overall job loss reported by respondents: on average in the range of 10%, i.e. 1 in 10 respondents report job loss since the beginning of the corona crisis, while employees are better off by far.
A second striking feature is the difference between the developed and less developed economies of the world. Throughout Central and South America for instance, job loss is reported - on average - by 1 in 4 respondents. The great majority of these are found in the informal economy, i.e. they did not have a fixed job before the crisis either. The lucky few are employees, here too, yet less so than in North America and Europe. Similar high figures of job loss (1 in 4 working people say they have lost their job) are reported from many African and Asian countries, though variations between countries are huge. And everywhere employees suffer the least of all working people from the corona lock down.
This picture emerges from the Working and Living in Corona-times Survey, online since March 23, in which 24,000 respondents from 70 countries participated during the first 3 months, till June 26.
Quote of the day, Mental health or abuse counsellor , female, 71, USA
Often, I feel like I'm living in a Twilight Zone episode-very disconnected from reality.
I don't like not being in control of my life although I recognize the importance of isolating.
Even more frustrated by the political situation here-having a totally incompetent, immoral president is bad enough usually but in a crisis like this , it is so dangerous-his words/actions will literally kill people!
What will the new work/life ‘normal’ become?
The Work Life Survey in Corona Times shows the impact people from across the globe expect the corona crisis will have on their working life. Regularly special issues like countries, continents, occupations, happiness, fear, small hous or having a dog are highlighted on these pages.
Its global outreach allows WageIndicator to present findings for many countries. Daily updated national survey results may be consulted here:
It is the intention to continue the survey for a long time, well into the aftermath of the present crisis. What will the new work/life ‘normal’ become?
More about the project
https://wageindicator.org/Wageindicatorfoundation/projects/living-and-working-in-coronavirus-times
More about the team
https://wageindicator.org/Wageindicatorfoundation/Partnersworldwide/internationalteam