An Experimental Canadian Survey that Links Workplace Practices and Employee Outcomes: Why it is Needed and How it Works

Abstract

Fundamental changes have taken place in the labour market and among firms in the 1980s and 1990s. In some cases we understand what has occurred, but notwhy. In other cases the data do not exist to shed light on exactly what is happening, let alone why. Changes in the labour market are often related to changes in theway in which firms are engaging and paying labour, the adoption of new technologies, changes in the types of markets in which firms compete, and other eventsoccurring in firms; i.e. changes on the demand side of the labour market. But data have never existed that allowed events occurring in firms to be related to theoutcomes for the workers. This paper outlines why such data are necessary. The example of rising inequality is used to demonstrate the need for such a survey. Alsopresented is an outline of how the new data can be provided using a new approach to surveying. The proposed survey first surveys establishments, and then surveysworkers within that establishment. In this way a direct link is made between the activities in the establishment and the outcomes for the workers. Conversely, a directlink is established between the events in the firm and the characteristics of the workers, another area of research that has suffered from a lack of data at themicro-level. This paper outlines why such a survey is needed, the possible content, and research topics that could be addressed with such data.