In general, the end of mandatory telework was well received by the business community, which had been demanding it from the Legault government. This decision shows that Quebec society is trying to learn to live with the virus. From now on, we must also learn to live with telework!

“About 15 years ago, we conducted the first tests on telework skills,” says Roy . “As for workers’ preferences for this work method, surveys were conducted at EPSI as early as 2016. A few years before the pandemic, telework was seen as a competitive advantage. An organization that allowed remote work was in some way an employer of choice. Today, many things have changed. Negative connotations are even attributed to an employer who refuses to allow its employees to telework.”

Of course, not all companies will be going 100% from home or in a hybrid format. Employers have had to communicate their intentions to their employees in recent weeks. Otherwise, the risks of confusion and frustration are high. Above all, employers must consider the demands of workers, at least when the task allows. “Employers must take the needs of their employees seriously, especially in a context of labor shortages,” says Mr. Roy . “Many employees who are not comfortable with their employer’s policy could therefore test the market. The logic is simple: for some time now, the worker has had the upper hand.”

Workers are already assessing their needs. Nicolas Roy points out that 53% of Canadians have expressed an intention to leave their employer by the end of 2021. Normally, this desire is around 25% among workers. But the pandemic, added to the labour shortage, has greatly increased this desire to look elsewhere. Employers, for their part, are trying to adapt to this new reality of teleworking, which sometimes disrupts structures and methods.

“The workplace is changed forever. This revolution is driven by the integration of new technologies and digital transformations. These were forced over a period of six months instead of a decade. In fact, major transformations in the workplace are often caused by major crises. Just as the massive arrival of women in the workforce during the Second World War, telework has begun to transform our society.”

According to Mr. Roy, it is too early to draw definitive conclusions on the telework experience of the last two years. However, a major trend is emerging as the business community, with the help of the government (which has notably offered training programs and invested $130 million to ensure the digital shift of SMEs), is implementing an effective hybrid work mode. According to Statistics Canada, 32% of Canadian employees aged 15 to 69 worked most of their working hours from home at the start of 2021, compared to only 4% in 2016.

Canadians' perception of work has changed significantly during the health crisis. Before the pandemic, few people had tried teleworking, says Nicolas Roy. Now, the figure is 88%. They no longer think about their jobs in the same way. In fact, hundreds of thousands of people have questioned their career choices, their place in society and their relationship with their employer. They often want better conditions and a better salary.

In June, the Ordre des conseillers en ressources humaines agréés shared the findings of surveys conducted among its certified professionals and teleworkers. Here are some telling statistics: 38% of workers want full-time work from home, while only 1% of employers support this approach. 24% of workers want full flexibility without any requirements, but a mere 8% of employers agree. In fact, business leaders (52%) favour shared time with a minimum requirement for presence in the office, which is determined according to a fixed and predetermined formula each week. For example: three days of telework and two days in the office per week. However, this option only appeals to 18% of employees.

The transition from forced telework to hybrid telework will obviously be one to watch. One of the main issues concerning this is obviously productivity.

PRODUCTIVITY

Contrary to popular belief, workers are more productive at home than in the office, according to many studies. Among the elements that promote the efficiency of remote employees, there is the elimination of commuting time: the time saved would be reinvested for a third in the accomplishment of professional tasks leading to an increase in actual working time. Roughly speaking, the use of teleworking would increase productivity by 5% to 12%.

According to Roy, the best approach to work modes varies from one employee to another. The winning formula may be the hybrid model for one, while another will be fully effective from home full time. “The challenges are different for each sector of activity. When telework is possible, it is important to analyze which model is best for your company.”

“The pandemic has proven that Canadians are capable of being productive at home,” says Nicolas Roy . “On average, they are actually more productive. Why go back? Employees must therefore be given the latitude to make the decision that is best for them.” In fact, that is what is essential, according to him.

Another major point is psychological safety: “The forced return to work can be a significant source of stress for someone who has been out of the office for two years. COVID can still scare workers…”

Trust

Despite everything, employers are still wary of telework. In particular, they would have difficulty measuring the productivity of their employees. According to Nicolas Roy, it is particularly a problem of trust in the workforce.

“Employers want to control production. Others think that employees returning to work will help surrounding businesses (let’s take downtown Montreal as an example) . They also believe, sometimes rightly, that it’s a good way to foster connections between people. Indeed, social affiliation is a fundamental need at work. However, other ways are possible to encourage it. When face-to-face work is mandatory, another fundamental need is violated: autonomy, which has a very significant impact on happiness at work and ultimately on the employee experience.”

This fear of telework is often amplified by the lack of effective supervision and tools to train managers, Roy emphasizes. While autonomy and flexibility are extremely important, he says that other issues are associated with choosing the right work model, including mental health, hyperproductivity, isolation and disconnection, and working conditions. “Leaders therefore have a duty to create a new model with which their company or organization will function well.”

THE IDEAL MODEL?

Of course, we must exclude from the equation the manufacturing sectors, retail trade, the tourism industry, catering, or even accommodation. But, many organizations are concerned. The following questions are essential for the employer:

• How much autonomy can we give employees over where they work? How, when and where they work?

• For which activities/responsibilities can we give our employees a lot of flexibility and autonomy?

• How can we measure the productivity associated with the new work model?

What would be the ideal setting according to Nicolas Roy?

Offering people the opportunity to decide when they want to travel to come to the office or stay at home. This model must be part of a desire to offer, as Mr. Roy indicates below, the best possible employee experience. This involves meaning, kindness, means and commitment (see table).

Basic needs

When analyzing telework models, according to EPSI, three fundamental human needs must be taken into account to be happy at work. To assess this level of happiness, we must first focus on what influences a person's work, what motivates them:

The need for autonomy

A person must have some freedom in decision-making or in actions at work. Examples: being able to set one's schedule; proposing ideas and solutions to elements impacting one's work; deciding how and with which tool to do it; prioritizing the tasks to be accomplished; acting according to one's own values...

The need for competence

It translates into the need to feel effective and capable of performing tasks of different levels of complexity. For example, feeling useful to the organization and capable of achieving the objectives set; having the opportunity to improve and grow professionally; having adequate work tools. The need for competence also means obtaining recognition for one's contribution, successes and expertise.

The need for social belonging

It is characterized by the need to feel connected to other people and to be supported by others. The richness, intensity and frequency of relationships with others are at the heart of this need. For example, feeling included in a work group; understanding what one's colleagues are going through; being understood by them; having a social network; having positive interactions with other employees.

CHOICE OF MODEL

In a context of labor shortage, where the most positive studies predict a return to normal around 2036, it is important for the employer to ensure a positive experience for the employee if it wants to keep its talents, especially those of high level.

"Now that the employee has demonstrated that he is effective in teleworking, he must be allowed to choose the model that suits him. All the more so since he was able to experience teleworking for two years."

So the watchword is flexibility.

“For some people, however, in-person may be the best option. Difficulty concentrating at home, the need to socialize at work, and the need for a workspace that is different from home are some of the factors that may prompt them to return to employer-provided space. No single model can meet the needs of millions of workers. Radical flexibility must prevail in business. This will lead to a happier and therefore more engaged workforce.”