Will the work-from-home model continue to hold sway post-pandemic?

A significant chunk of Canadians will not work with employers who do not have a virtual-work option

Reflecting the sea change in consumer preferences brought about by the pandemic, more than a third (36%) of Canadian workers have said that they would refuse jobs with employers who do not permit remote work, according to a new poll commissioned by the Canadian Internet Registration Authority.

“Having been forced to work from home, many people now say they want to continue doing so,” CIRA said in its report. “While it is no surprise that most people spent more time online in this past year, with massive increases in the use of virtual meetings and online services (half received online medical care for the first time), they don’t seem to be sick of it, as a majority say they don’t plan to unplug more often post-pandemic.”

Approximately 55% of Canadians also attended a virtual event for the first time during the pandemic, while more than six in 10 respondents admitted that their screen time has increased over the past year.

For 85% of Canadians, online time is typically spent using email. Other common online activities found by the CIRA survey include banking (67%), using social media (58%), and catching up on news/current events (53%)

“The pandemic challenged Canadians to adapt, to embrace technology as a way of coping with a once in a lifetime public health emergency,” said Byron Holland, president and CEO of CIRA. “[The survey] shows us that it brought profound changes in attitudes and that there’s no going back.”

These findings echoed a report by the Brookfield Institute earlier this year, which stated that remote working arrangements will last beyond the pandemic. The study estimated that 17% of employers are likely or very likely to offer the work-from-home option once the pandemic eases, while 29% are likely to require employees to return to on-site/office work.

The segments most likely to keep employees working remotely even after the pandemic are the financial sector (39%); the information and cultural industries (43%); and the professional, scientific, and technical services (46%).

MBN

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