Remote work likely to continue even after pandemic: report

With Ontario having entered Step 1 of the Province’s reopening plan, and on track to enter Step 2 in three weeks, many are looking forward to a return to normalcy.

However, a recent report from the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) suggests things won’t completely return to the way they were—remote working appears to be here to stay.

According to the findings, 74 per cent of entrepreneurs will continue to offer their employees the opportunity to work remotely even after it’s safe to return to the office.

Additionally, 55 per cent of employees said they would continue working remotely if given the opportunity post-pandemic, and 54 per cent said the ability to work remotely will be a determining factor regarding applying for and accepting a job.

Further, 27 per cent of entrepreneurs believe allowing employees to work remotely gives them access to a larger talent pool.

According to employees surveyed, 84 per cent said they prefer working remotely due to the fact they don’t spend time commuting to and from work, while 62 per cent said it was because it offered them more flexible hours, and 58 per cent said it afforded them a better work-life balance.

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However, 53 per cent also said working remotely has made interacting informally with colleagues much more difficult, and 45 per cent have attributed increased screen fatigue to it.

For employers, 54 per cent said the biggest benefit was flexible working hours, while 35 per cent said it was improved employee retention, and 34 per cent said it was the reduced operating costs.

When it came to disadvantages of remote work for employers, 13 per cent said it was the negative impact it has had on team communication, while 11 per cent cited the fact it isn’t applicable to all roles, and nine per cent said it was the impact on productivity and efficiency.

“For more than a year, many Canadian entrepreneurs have pivoted to remote work to limit the spread of the virus. Our findings show that for most businesses, the benefits are so important that they want to keep offering it even once the pandemic is over,” Pierre Cléroux, vice president of research and chief economist for the BDC, said in a news release.