IX.18.23 Remote Work in Our Post Pandemic World

Summer 2023 has been a busy time for job seekers compared to the past three years, and it has

got me and other industry experts curious about what's going on. After examining the data and
gathering feedback from clients, I have come up with a theory.

During the early days of the pandemic in 2020, companies that were able to provide employees
with the necessary technology to work from home quickly adapted to the new operational
structure to protect their bottom line. Throughout the pandemic, I personally worked from home
and when I asked leaders and employees about their experience with the new model, the
response was overwhelmingly positive. This included people from various sectors such as
businesses, non-profits, and the public sector. Of course, there were some challenges that needed
to be addressed, like setting up hardware, dealing with broadband issues, and testing reliable
team-based software. However, once people had the tools they needed to perform effectively,
operations continued smoothly after just a few weeks. In fact, some organizations even saw
improved efficiency and increased profits due to reduced overhead costs.

Remote work is something I am familiar with. In 2016, when I decided to leave my corporate job
and become an independent consultant, I had a young child and had to find ways to work from
home. I would work from different places in my house, such as the nursery, the couch while
nursing my son, or my newly established home office equipped with a playpen and a bassinet.
Many of my female clients could relate to this juggling act. Despite the challenges of balancing
personal and professional responsibilities as a work-from-home mom of three, I found that I was
more productive at home with my children than when I had to commute to Toronto for work.

Throughout the pandemic, I connected with hundreds of clients and most of them were thrilled
with the new way of working. They realized that eliminating their commutes led to increased
productivity compared to when they were tired from lack of sleep. As a "Bay Street Refugee," I
believe routine is important for many of us, and now our routines are developed and owned by
everyone. When work seamlessly integrates into our lives, people tend to log in earlier, check
emails at all hours, and have better focus. In fact, for many people, there are fewer distractions at
home than in the office.

Fast forward to the final days of Summer 2023, and we are experiencing an unusually busy job
market. Both job seekers and employers are actively engaged, but there is a notable increase in
professionals seeking new opportunities because their organizations are bringing employees back
to the office. Many of these professionals have evidence that their performance improved while
working remotely. While I understand the challenges organizations face in making exceptions
for remote work, my research clearly shows that a higher percentage of workers prefer to work
from home rather than in an office.

So, why are organizations tinkering with employee engagement? In some cases, organizations
are tied to expensive office leases, but they had the same costs during the pandemic when
productivity increased. One would think that employees who already have the necessary
resources to work from home and are motivated to continue doing so should be supported.

As a consultant, I believe pushing employees back into the office is a mistake. Organizations risk
losing not only their talented employees but also client retention, slower service delivery, and
slower growth if they continue with the pre-pandemic policy.

Lastly, for those of you concerned about leaving a healthy planet for future generations, a recent
study supports the environmental benefits of remote work. According to the study, the transition
to remote and hybrid work catalyzed by the COVID-19 pandemic could significantly reduce
greenhouse gas emissions. The study considers factors such as information and communication
technology, commuting, non-commute travel, and office and residential energy use. In the
United States, switching from working onsite to working from home can reduce up to 58% of
work's carbon footprint, with the impacts of IT usage being negligible. However, office energy
use and non-commute travel have significant impacts. The study suggests that achieving the
environmental benefits of remote work requires proper lifestyle choices, including vehicle
selection, travel behavior, and the setup of home and work environments. Read more