Working From Home Is Expected To Have Endurance: Study

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While Toronto’s downtown is waiting for office workers to return to near-empty towers, more and more employees in Canada are eager to keep working from home, a recent study shows.

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“Clearly, the role that the physical office plays in day-to-day work and employee satisfaction has changed dramatically during the pandemic,” said Nick Georgiev, Country Manager for Amazon Business Canada.

“We are not going back to how things were before, and companies have to adapt to the many operational realities that come with it.”

Amazon Business Canadas Return to Office Report is a survey of nearly 1,600 office workers conducted by the Angus Reid Forum.

It is clear that many people expect change.

Only 12% say that working exclusively in their physical workplace is their ideal work scenario going forward, the report found.

And 43% say they would probably apply for a new job if their current employer gave them a mandate to return to office full time.

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Companies in the besieged financial district are eager for an influx of workers.

But it can still be months away, depending on the next steps in the pandemic and on how employers adapt to workers’ expectations.

In a statement, the BMO said: “While some employees have returned to office-based work over the past year, given differences in business needs and local public health guidance, the schedule for a broader based return will vary by groups, teams and geographies.”

It is expected that companies will navigate in a period of change.

Statistics Canada’s most recent employment survey shows that 37% of Canadians still work most hours away from home.

For the next year, two out of five – 43% – expect to work primarily from home, the Amazon report states.

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Almost every fifth – 18% – expect to work from home or work remotely indefinitely.

“We may be able to create jobs and jobs in ways that truly promote that kind of flexibility and independence, but also value and recognize being together,” said Julie McCarthy, an expert in talent management and work-life balance at the Rotman School of Management, University. of Toronto.

“Canadian employers will have to consider, not only how and when to bring their employees back to the office, but whether they should … and how they can set the talent up for success anywhere, if they do not return completely, said Georgiyev.

Canada’s statistics reiterated this view.

“When employers implement return-to-office plans, a number of factors can affect their ability to attract and retain employees,” the agency said.

Including “the desire of some workers to maintain the flexibility and quality of employment associated with working from home.”