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  The Work and Equalities Institute runs a wide variety of different events and activities, and collaborates with a range of stakeholders.
  What is poor quality work? We know that poor quality work that is precarious, and insecure can be more damaging to health than unemployment. This section of the working population is likely to increase during the pandemic and its aftermath. These workers are also often left out of wellbeing initiatives and any initiative of support is often hard to access. There is no sick pay for these workers so the risk of presenteeism and associated health risks is greater.
  Members of the Work and Equalities Institute have been involved in a number of webinars discussing the effects of the pandemic on society.
  The OSE, ETUI and AK EUROPA held a webinar at the launch of the 21st edition of ‘Social policy in the European Union: state of play 2020’.
  Jill Rubery and Isabel Tavora spoke on 'The Covid 19 crisis and gender equality: risks and opportunities'.
  Flexible working has always been a double-edged sword: bringing greater freedom for employees and employers, but also unexpected negative consequences for both. As organisations continue to oscillate between returning to work, working from home and new hybrid patterns of working, Jill Rubery and Emma Banister joined the Manchester branch of the CIPD to ask what we might learn from the lessons of the past to help navigate an uncertain future.
  Dr Sheena Johnson (Senior Lecturer at the University of Manchester), Dr Emily Andrews (Centre for Ageing Better) and Dr Mat Ainsworth (Greater Manchester Combined Authority Ageing Hub) discussed how older workers are potentially disproportionately affected given their increased risk to COVID-19, how the recession is seeing a substantial hit to their earnings and hours and the labour market inequalities faced by older people. They considered how current and future research will inform responses and opportunities presented by COVID-19.
  The COVID-19 crisis has thrown light on both the positive and negative aspects of home and remote working. On the one hand, workers have shown great resilience and resourcefulness in adapting to the challenges, demonstrating their commitment in the industries and sectors where it has been possible to do so. Indeed, as technology increasingly enables remote working, some employers are now considering a longer or even permanent shift to homeworking.
  Tony Dundon, Jonny Gifford (Senior Advisor for Organisational Behaviour at the CIPD) and Natasha Owusu (Policy & Campaigns Support Officer for Equalities at the TUC), discussed the pros, cons and sustainability of remote working.
  This University of Manchester webinar, part of the Doing Things Differently series, examined the gendered impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Looking in detail at the world of work, our academics discuss the care burden on women throughout the crisis and the implications of the economic fallout. The panel address the solutions needed to ensure that women can look forward to a fairer world.
  Jill Rubery took part, commenting that “There’s a very high risk that women will be losing employment once job retention schemes and furlough comes to an end”