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THIRTY PER CENT OF CANADIAN WOMEN FEAR
JOB LOSS TO AUTOMATION IN THE NEXT DECADE
A recent survey by Randstad Canada reveals 61 per cent of
Canadian women see themselves as risk-takers and innovators in
the workplace. At the same time, they expect employers to do more
to support their growth as technology transforms the workplace.
PERCEIVED THREATS
Thirty per cent of employed women across all sectors expect they
will lose their jobs within the decade due to advances in technology,
such as automation and AI. Women employed in the manufactur-ing
sector feel the greatest vulnerability: 62 per cent believe their
industry bears the greatest risk of job losses due to advances in
technology in the next decade. This concern is echoed by 29 per
cent of women working in I.T. and 24 per cent of women working
in retail. Those employed in education, healthcare, and engineer-ing
and construction view their industries as stable by comparison.
Age is seen as a distinct disadvantage: 38 per cent believe Baby
Boomers have the greatest risk of losing their jobs due to technol-ogy,
compared to 21 per cent of for Gen Xers and 13 per cent of
millennials. Gender, by comparison, is not seen as an impediment.
The majority (68 per cent) believe men and women are at equal
risk of losing their jobs due to automation.
THIRTY PER CENT OF
EMPLOYED WOMEN
ACROSS ALL SECTORS
EXPECT THEY WILL
LOSE THEIR JOBS
WITHIN THE DECADE
DUE TO ADVANCES IN
TECHNOLOGY, SUCH AS
AUTOMATION AND AI.
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Despite job security concerns in all industries, more than half
of the employed women surveyed (54 per cent) are not currently
doing anything to protect their careers from being negatively
impacted by technology. In contrast, when Randstad surveyed
HRPROFESSIONALNOW.CA ❚ FEBRUARY 2019 ❚ 7
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