A Vancouver Island University prof and colleagues from across the country are comparing stress levels for working families amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Laura Gover, VIU faculty of management professor, and co-applicants from Carleton and Ryerson universities were granted $50,000 from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council for work seeking to answer the questions, “How do employed parents cope effectively with the stressors they encounter because of the pandemic?” and “What impacts do other factors such as job, gender, supports and government policies have on the effectiveness of various coping strategies?” according to a press release.
The research builds on the group’s COVID-19 employee well-being survey, which compiled feedback from 20,000 respondents. The money will allow Gover and her group to further engage with 100 employed parents who have been forced into emergency teleworking during the pandemic.
In the course of her research, Gover said she has discovered that numerous working parents have found that changes to work and family life, due to the pandemic, can be beneficial, said the press release.
“It seems that, for many, this change has led them to identify innovative solutions for how to balance work and child care … it is hard to be a both a parent and an employee. Trying to navigate work and family responsibilities is a major stressor for many employed Canadians,” Gover said in the press release.
Interviews are scheduled to begin in January and continue until the summer.
RELATED: Officials report 341 new COVID cases, warn of Omicron variant
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
