The Future of Remote Work
20 February 2021
Advanis regularly conducts research on the thoughts and opinions of Canadian and American (US) residents on topics of interest, such as energy policy, vaping, policing, impacts of COVID-19, and alternative holiday planning in 2020. Results of these studies can be found at:
https://www.advanis.net/self-sponsored-studies
This tradition continues in 2021. We are turning our focus on the workplace of the future. In the first of a series of research projects to be conducted, we turned our attention to workers and managers currently working remotely, in both the US and Canada. Key highlights from this survey include:
Canada:
- Managers and employees are both highly interested in making work from home or hybrid arrangements permanent, but many don’t expect that organizations will go along with this desire.
- Many workers are interested in remote work in their next job, but if few organizations are likely to hire far from where they are located, the supply of remote workers may outweigh the demand.
- Mental health and the impact on team collaboration and creativity are top concerns managers and employees alike would have if permanently working from home.
- In the long-term, the work from home experience during the pandemic does not necessarily indicate the end of the downtown core but does indicate a growing need for larger home footprints and amenities close to residential areas.
US:
- Managers and employees are both highly interested in making work from home arrangements permanent – either full-time or a hybrid version, but many don’t expect that organizations will go along with this desire in the near term.
- However, many workers are interested in remote work in their next job, and managers believe many organizations might offer this option in the future.
- Managers and employees believe working from home permanently might have a positive impact on their mental health but are somewhat concerned about the impact on team collaboration and creativity.
- In the long-term, the work from home arrangement could indicate the end of the downtown core and a need for larger home footprints.
Detailed results of the Canadian and US surveys can be shared on request, by contacting:
Anu Bhalla, SVP Business Development