More companies are shifting away from the work-from-home model.
As more Canadians make their return to the office, new data from Angus Reid Institute suggests the majority of workers don’t want to go back if they don’t have to.
Of those surveyed, three-in-five Canadians (59 per cent) would prefer to work from home, and if you ask those who’ve done it before, that number is even higher — at 76 per cent.
But companies are making the shift anyway, which an employment expert says sets the stage for a bigger discussion about work-life balance.
“Whether you’re a job seeker or an employer, being realistic, having a healthy compromise are the two biggest things,” said Ahmed Borhot, the director of workforce solutions with Manpower Alberta.
So, how important is it to have the freedom to work from home?
Canadians surveyed shared what they would do if their employer ordered them back to work full time.
Most said they would go back, but they’d also start looking for another job.
Roughly 28 per cent said they’d just roll with it, while a little less than a quarter were not interested in going back and would quit, with a few saying they’ve already left their company.
Borhot says ultimately, what employers and employees need to keep in mind is that the work-life balance will have an impact on their ability to hire or be hired, morale within the workforce, and career advancement opportunities.
“You can have some sort of a clash, and that clash will impact your operations from an employer standpoint, and impact your employment from a job seeker standpoint,” said Borhot.
For workers in downtown Edmonton, they say finding balance is more important than ever.
“If people are doing their work and performing to the standard that is expected, that shouldn’t change where your location is. I think that overall, our life has been better having that kind of flexibility,” said Anne Marie Camara, a non-profit employee.
Raeleigh Kasun, a paramedic, adds, “I think employers need to realize that employees will perform better if they are taking care of themselves. I don’t think the argument that you perform better in office is always right.”
For more on the Angus Reid Institute’s survey, click here.
