Work, family and identity

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the existing transition to remote work and, more broadly, flexible forms of work. Much energy and attention have been dedicated to analysing this transition, and how governments and other actors can best respond to it. This chapter takes a step back and analyses the potential impacts of the transition to remote work on our individual and collective identities. Recognising that work is an important part of who we are, and has historically been a microcosm and a catalyst of broader social change, this chapter analyses how remote work challenges gender roles, contemporary family structures, and our conceptualisation of the relationship between work and other commitments. The chapter admittedly offers more questions than it does answers. It complexifies our understanding of remote work, and seeks to spark future discussions as to its consequences.