‘Easy for people to say’: Doubts raised over remote workers’ resolve

‘Easy to say’: Doubts about remote workers’ commitment

While many companies are returning employees to the in-person workplace, a new survey shows that most Canadians still prefer to work from home, and many are even willing to resist a forced return.

The survey, released by the Angus Reid Institute on July 28, found that nearly 60 per cent of Canadians would prefer to either work entirely remotely (29%) or work most of their time from home (30%). That preference rises to 76 per cent among those who have previously worked remotely.

In contrast, only 9 per cent of office workers said they would prefer to work in-person full-time.

“The employee thinks to themselves, ‘If I can do the same thing from home, why am I here? Why do I have to commute all this way?’” Alex Gallacher, CEO of Engage HR, told CTVNews.ca in a video interview.

The survey also found that only 28 per cent of remote workers would be willing to return to work without a problem. A third said they would return but would look for another job, and 24 per cent said they would probably quit.

But some experts are skeptical that employees will actually do that.

“It’s easy to say ‘I’m quitting.’ But it’s much harder to actually do it. The job market is not good right now,” Linda Duxbury, a business professor at Carleton University, said in a video interview.

She also warned that those who work remotely entirely could be at risk of future layoffs.

“If your job doesn’t require any face-to-face interaction or teamwork, it’s a mundane job that can be done by AI,” she said. “You have to be careful about that.”

Mothers and flexibility

The survey also found that among women aged 35 to 54 (the group most likely to be mothers), 37 percent would prefer to work from home entirely. Women under 55 were the least likely to be in-person.

Roxanne Francis, a psychotherapist and business owner, said the figures reflected the reality of many working mothers:

“Women still do a lot of the housework and childcare, so they’re very concerned about having to pay for after-school care.”

But Duxbury said working from home and raising children is not possible:

“All the research shows that you can’t be productive and efficient when you have children, especially young children, at home. Employers hear it as, “You’re taking time off work to raise a child.”

“They want to be treated like a human being.”

According to an Angus Reid poll, 57 per cent of Canadians believe that remote workers are as productive or more productive than in-person employees. That number rises to 73 per cent among those who have experience working remotely.

But Duxbury says these assessments may not be complete:

“Well, they say they’re productive. But productivity is not the same as effectiveness, and many employers have strong reasons to bring employees back.”

“Employers aren’t making this decision out of pity or stubbornness. They’re seeing real problems in their organizational culture.”

But productivity isn’t the only thing that matters.

The survey found that nearly a third (30 per cent) of those who have experience working remotely have felt isolated or lonely. Young women reported the highest rates of loneliness.

“That sense of camaraderie is lost when you work from home,” Francis said. “Those who are lonely need to be able to come to the office, and those who are comfortable need to be able to work from home.”

Gallacher noted that some employers are taking a similar approach:

“Every person I hear from who is happy with their employer says that their employer cares about their individual circumstances. People want to be treated like human beings.”

“They’re not talking to each other.”

One commonly proposed solution to this complex situation is a hybrid work model. But Duxbury says most organizations haven’t yet figured out exactly what that means.

“It takes a lot of effort to get it right,” he said. “But I don’t see it from employers right now, and I don’t see it from employees.”

“They’re drawing lines instead of talking,” he added. “Everyone thinks they’re right.”

Gallacher also said employees are usually willing to compromise, as long as the employer’s reasons for asking are clear and logical:

“I think people are logical. If they see an organizational or personal benefit, they’ll cooperate.”

Finding the balance

Francis believes that remote work can broaden the workforce and improve employee morale.

“Companies have a much greater ability to grow, and that can even increase revenue,” he said.

But Duxbury warned that unequal policies can cause workplace tension:

“When an employer allows certain people to work from home because they’re more valuable or don’t want to lose them, it creates resentment among others.”

Gallacher said trust is built when decisions are based on the specifics of each job, not blanket directives:

“As an employer, you need to be able to say, ‘I need you here for X, Y, and Z reasons’ — and those reasons shouldn’t be like empty managerial statements.”

Francis also emphasized that the key to success is effective communication:

“What’s important for employees is that they know that their company and their leaders really care about them.”

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