Unequal Occupational Conditions When Work Turns Digital: The Case of Schoolteachers

Telework has significantly increased in the aftermath of COVID-19 lockdowns. However, it is unclear how working conditions for the same job differ when work is conducted in-person versus remotely and online, and whether occupational health risks can be considered as equal across formats. Our study examined schoolteachers to understand online versus in-person teaching work and health conditions. Focus groups and interviews about online teaching took place in 2023 to 2024 with 47 Canadian teachers and tutors who teach from kindergarten to Grade 12. We identified 5 key areas where synchronous online teaching conditions diverted from traditional classroom teaching and posed particular occupational health challenges for teachers. These are digital surveillance, technostress, loss of control over the teaching environment, difficult student engagement work, and moral discomfort. We recommend that teachers' job contracts and collective agreements should distinguish between in-person and online teaching and take into account the different related risks.