More than three-quarters of employers promise greater flexibility after pandemic
Over three quarters (76 per cent) of Canadian employers will allow workers to work from home in various degrees within a hybrid model post-pandemic, according to a report from Sage.
But it depends largely on the industry. While 85 per cent of employers in the knowledge and professional services sector will do this, the number goes down for those in industrial and sector and natural resources (73 per cent), public sector and not-for-profit (72 per cent) and consumer industries (66 per cent).
The tenure of the business also affects this decision. While 86 per cent of business under five years old and 89 per cent of business six to 10 years old will allow a hybrid work model, this number drops to 74 per cent among businesses 10 years old and up.
Thirty-one per cent of employers say employees will be able to work remotely on certain days of the week, 24 per cent employees can do so freely and 21 per cent of employers say employees will be able to work remotely only on occasion.
Meanwhile, 24 per cent say employees will be back in the office full time when the circumstance allows.
One in three (33 per cent) employees currently working from home say that they will quit their job if forced to return to the workplace full time, according to a separate report.
Focus on retention, productivity
Business leaders are also demonstrating confidence that the hybrid work arrangement is working and necessary, according to Sage’s survey of 1,569 Canadian workers and 775 business decision-makers in organizations with 50 to 499 employees, conducted in March.
More than four in 10 (42 per cent) cite increasing productivity and 41 per cent cite attracting and retaining talent as the main factors for allowing employees to work from home. Meanwhile, 34 per cent say mitigating burnout is a factor.
However, the numbers are lower for employees, with 31 per cent of saying work from home helps attract and retain talent while 27 per cent say it increases productivity and 26 per cent say it mitigates burnout.
Nearly half of professionals working remotely (49 per cent) say that being on camera during meetings makes them more exhausted, according to a report from Virita.
