Vulnerable workers were also at greater risk of experiencing low subjective well-being before the pandemic took root. Low-income and low-skill workers are typically less satisfied with their jobs while also more dependent on them.

White-collar workers include managers, senior administrators, higher technical workers, professionals, and clerical workers. Blue-collar workers include those performing skilled or unskilled manual labour. Both groups’ happiness levels also began to decline dramatically in February and March, before the first national lockdown was implemented. Beginning in April, happiness levels began to steadily rebound for both groups, although white-collar workers recovered significantly faster than blue-collar workers after the first wave.