White collar

The term “white collar” refers to a professional or office workers whose jobs do not typically involve manual labor or physical work. Instead, white-collar workers are typically involved in tasks that require office-based or administrative skills. The term is often used to distinguish these workers from “blue-collar” workers, who are typically engaged in manual labor or physical work.

In a broader sense, “white collar” has come to symbolize the professional, managerial, or administrative occupations that involve more cognitive and organizational tasks as opposed to physical labor.

• Many people in white-collar jobs were able to work at home during the pandemic.
• Automation first affected blue-collar workers, but is increasingly affecting white-collar workers, too.