Future of work
The world of work in Canada and other industrialized countries is undergoing rapid transformation. Major forces driving change include digital technologies, artificial intelligence, climate change, demographic shifts and more. This change may bring far-reaching social, political and economic consequences for a generation of workers. IWH researchers are exploring the emerging issues posed by some of these trends—on health and safety, on work inequities, and on the inclusion of marginalized groups in the future of work—and seeking policy, system and workplace actions that can be implemented now to help ensure a healthy and inclusive future for all.
Featured
At Work article
What work and health challenges might OHS professionals face by 2040?
What challenges may face occupational health and safety practitioners and policy-makers by 2040?
Published: February 10, 2026
At Work article
AI and job quality project gathers partners to develop roadmap
As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more integrated into workplaces, a new IWH project wants to ensure that job quality—and the health and safety of workers—remains a top priority.
Published: January 14, 2026
Journal article
Journal article
Strategies for supporting disability-inclusive employment in the future of work
Published: Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, November 2025
Research Highlights
Mental health of Canadians who work from home no better or worse than those working outside the home
Canadian adults who work from home report the same levels of mental health, life satisfaction and stress as those who work on-site at a workplace, or at no fixed location (on the road). That’s according to a study of survey data from almost 25,000 Canadians in 2022, after work-from-home arrangements became more common.
Published: October 2025
Research Highlights
Which workers and jobs will be most affected by machine learning?
Machine learning is being adopted by more and more Canadian workplaces. Given this technology’s ability to learn, adapt and generate work outputs, it also has the potential to perform job tasks in place of humans. But which workers might be most affected by the use of machine learning? An IWH study explores this question.
Published: July 2025
Journal article
Journal article
Do occupational health and safety tools that utilize artificial intelligence have a measurable impact on worker injury or illness? Findings from a systematic review
Published: Systematic Reviews, July 2025
Journal article
Journal article
Machine learning and the labor market: a portrait of occupational and worker inequities in Canada
Published: Social Science & Medicine, June 2025
Project
Journal article
Journal article
Is working from home good for mental health and well-being? Associations between work location, self-rated mental health, life satisfaction, and life and work stress among Canadian adults
Published: Mental Health & Prevention, April 2025
IWH Speaker Series
IWH Speaker Series
Surveying the landscape for AI use in occupational health and safety in Ontario and British Columbia
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming workplaces across Canada, enhancing productivity and efficiency in countless ways. AI also has the potential to transform occupational health and safety practice. Despite its promise, however, we still know very little about how organizations are using AI to protect worker health and what factors influence their decision to adopt these technologies. In this presentation, Dr. Arif Jetha dives into findings from a recent survey of over 800 occupational health and safety professionals in Ontario and British Columbia. He outlines how AI could create safer workplaces and support worker health, sparking a discussion on both the risks and opportunities of AI in occupational health and safety and offering valuable takeaways for future research and practice.
Published: March 2025
IWH in the media
Are safety leaders embracing artificial intelligence?
Artificial intelligence is steadily infiltrating Canadian workplaces—not just to boost productivity, but also to protect worker health and safety. Yet, despite growing optimism about its potential, new research shows that the actual adoption of AI in occupational health and safety (OHS) remains limited. That’s one of the key takeaways from a landmark study presented by Arif Jetha during the Institute for Work & Health’s (IWH) Speaker Series
Published: Canadian Occupational Safety, March 2025
IWH in the media
Top ranked strategies to support young persons with disabilities at work
As we think about the impact of the future of work, it's crucial to consider that certain groups of workers may be disadvantaged. That's why a recent IWH project set out to gain an understanding of strategies that could be used to maximize inclusion for persons with disabilities in the future of work.
Published: Rehab & Community Care Medicine , October 2024