A recent study by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies found that 82 percent of Canadians who have worked from home during the pandemic have found the experience to be very or somewhat positive, while just 20 percent want to return to the office every day. It has been 15 months since the working world went remote in almost every industry. But as the world starts to reopen, companies have also begun to plan their return to office. While there are some who work better, or simply just enjoy working in an office, the majority of us would prefer to work from home indefinitely. Yet, the choice to have their workforce return to the office is ultimately up to the employer.
While we have become a fully remote team here at Innosphere, we will be taking a more hybrid approach as the restrictions in the country continue to ease. This means that anyone who is comfortable working from home will be able to remain doing so while those who would like to come in a few times a week or month may also do so. We have given up our original office and now have two co-working spaces in two different locations. This essentially gives our employees flexibility on working from home and working in an office environment. We found that it was very important to have this option when employees would like to escape remote work and have a physical workspace (work from home burnout is very real). We feel that this transition offers flexibility, comfortability, and ease to the transition to normalcy. After working from home for almost a year and a half, it can be very overwhelming to return to the office for 5 days a week.
With the economy and communities re-opening, returning to ‘normal’ is not the only hurdle organizations are facing when attempting to get employees back into the office. Recruiters within the organization are also facing difficulty in seeking candidates due to the stipulation that at some point they will have to return to the office. Currently, though many companies are still working from home, the intention is to have employees return to the office in the fall or winter without the option of a hybrid schedule or the option of staying remote. With candidates being told that they will be working from home until it’s time to go back into the office, this may become a deal breaker for some, if not most. If companies are unable to offer employees the option to work remote or at least partially remote, they will find it difficult to both attract and retain talent. As the workforce becomes infiltrated with the Millennial population and Generation Z making their way in, it is imperative for organizations to know what it takes for them to stay. The workforce is changing and in order to stay relevant and on top, organizations must continue to change with it.
There are many benefits to working from home for both employers and employees. A healthy work environment can be achieved if employees are in an environment that works best for them, whether that’s their home or their office space. This will in turn increase productivity, employee satisfaction, and even revenue.