Nearly two-in-three Canadians believe new and developing technologies will eliminate more jobs than they’ll create, but have these predictions already begun to reach fruition?
New public opinion polling data from the Angus Reid Institute finds that when it comes to the impact of technology on the workplace, the future is certainly a source of concern for many.
One-in-five (19%) Canadian workers report their job security has already been negatively affected by technological changes in the workplace. Another three-in-ten (28%) say they anticipate this will happen in the next decade.
That said, Canadians say their interactions with technology are not a net negative. Improvements in technology have been overwhelmingly positive for their job satisfaction.
Key Findings:
- Those who say technology replacing jobs is a serious concern (63% of Canadians) are more likely to express fears about their own job security in the coming decade, while the one-third (37%) who say this isn’t a serious concern express very little personal anxiety
- More than half of working Canadians (51%) say improvements in technology have had a positive effect on their job satisfaction over the last 10 years, and almost as many (44%) expect technology to continue to be a positive factor in their working lives over the next decade
- While job satisfaction has been largely bolstered by technology, most Canadians (47%) say they haven’t seen an impact either way when looking at the pay and benefits
