Prior to the pandemic we imagined emerging health and safety threats in terms of the Future of Work related to the workplace, work, and the workforce. The occupational safety and health community viewed these emerging threats in terms of the impact of new technologies, globalization, changes in employment patterns, and an increasingly diverse and aging working population. While we still give considerable attribute to these influencing factors, the COVID-19 pandemic may have changed the trajectory of the threats associated with the Future of Work, temporarily at least. Additionally, we may see workplace health and safety benefits emerging from the pandemic. The use of some technologies accelerated over the past several years while the attitudes and expectations of many workers and employers are changing, at least in some sectors. This presentation will explore the potential impact of the pandemic on the trajectory of the Future of Work- has it changed significantly or just made course corrections?
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