Post-COVID-19 visions: A new work–life model
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5055/jem.0688Keywords:
COVID-19, gender equity, health equity, mental health, window of opportunity, future of work, flexible work arrangements, sustainabilityAbstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has amplified concerns about gender equity, access to health services, and extractive rather than regenerative systems. In the spring and fall of 2020, a two-phase exploratory survey was conducted to inquire about people’s desires for the future and reflections on the pandemic. Respondents to the survey, more than two-thirds of whom were women, and more than 85 percent having earned a bachelor’s degree or higher, reported feelings of isolation and intensification in remote work, stress in caring for children restricted to their homes while attending virtual schooling, and societal inequities in the health system. The survey also identified that respondents expressed great resilience and optimism about the future. There is a window of opportunity for change after a disaster takes place, and respondents hope to take advantage of this time to emerge from the pandemic in a position to not only survive but flourish. This article describes the results of the surveys and makes recommendations for using this window of opportunity to address the concerns of access to healthcare and gender equity to build a more sustainable world.
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