Working from home is here to stay, studies show
When the pandemic took hold over a year ago, many companies were concerned about how productive employees would be working from home.
But two new surveys find many employers have accepted that for some of their workforce, remote work is here to stay.
Businesses have found some workers are much happier because they can have flexible hours and save time commuting.
Most agree the workplace will look much different when the pandemic is over.
“A lot of Canadians are wanting to work from home the way they’re doing now and it seems like business owners are open to that" said Pierre Cleroux, Chief Economist with Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC).
The BDC’s working from home survey found that 74 per cent of businesses plan to offer employees remote work after the pandemic and 55 per cent of employees want to work remotely as much or more than they do now.
The survey found only nine per cent of businesses saw decreased productivity.
“They are seeing more and more benefits than disadvantages, which is why they are open to more flexible remote work," said Cleroux.
Many employees in major cities can spend up to two hours commuting back and forth to work, so being able to work from home has been a time and money saver.
“Our study is saying that most work environments will adopt a hybrid model and from the talent perspective remote work is here to stay" said Carolyn Levy, with Randstad Canada.
Randstad Canada, a human resources company has it's own survey which found of people working from home 45 per cent want flexible work hours, 44 per cent want managers who will trust them and listen to their concerns and 39 per cent want the proper equipment to be able to work from home.
Levy expects there will be three modes of employment in the future.
“You have to think about a team that will have remote workers, hybrid workers and some people who will be in the office full time" said Levy.
Employers can also hire workers in different provinces and cities with remote work and some employees who have moved to smaller towns or cottages can also continue to work from home.
More than half of those asked said if they're searching for a new job they'll want the ability to work from home at least some of the time and say if they can't they won't accept the position.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.