The quality of work in Canada : changes in non-standard and standard work arrangements 1989 to 1994

The debate over the quality of work has been on-going for a number of years. Recently, non-standard work has figured predominantly in that debate. Some researchers have argued that the rise of non-standard work is evidence of the declining quality of work since it offers few benefits, little job security and lower incomes. Other research has indicated that it is the effect of job characteristics themselves that determine quality of work, whether in standard or non-standard employment. Other researchers have noted that it is the profile of workers in these jobs that is a good indicator of whether the employment is "good" or "bad" since most individuals who are from groups on the periphery of the labour force tend to be in jobs of lesser quality.This study addresses the quality of work in the Canadian context from 1989 to 1994, by exploring its connection to all three of these theories: the rise of non-standard work, the decline of "good" job characteristics and the changing profile of workers in non-standard work. What was found may be an interesting trend. Non-standard employment is becoming more mainstream and may even be influencing the characteristics of standard employment. The demographic profile of non-standard workers is also beginning to resemble that of standard workers. It could be concluded that the quality of work is indeed shifting. However, it was difficult to determine whether the shifts were indeed long-term or indicative only of difficult economic times in Canada. The issue of job quality is complex and better definitions of quality of work and longer timeframes should be considered in future research, to better understand what was/is happening in the Canadian labour market. If non-standard employment is truly "bad" work and it continues to increase, there will be fundamental implications for the quality of work in Canada