Le Devoir: The Future of Work is Flexible – A Canadian Perspective
The purpose of public policy should be to adapt the city and the economy to the needs of life, not the other way around. Yet, the federal government, in its wisdom, has decided that all its employees must return to the office four days a week by summer, under threat of sanction and, ultimately, dismissal. Ottawa is aligning itself with the gold standard of human relations – the behemoth Amazon (and that’s ironic) – which also demands five days a week for all.
These dictates are so contrary to common sense that one suspects a hidden agenda: Ottawa, like Amazon, may be aiming to provoke resignations from a large number of employees without having to offer severance packages. After being the economic lifeline during the pandemic, remote work is facing increasingly difficult times.
A Hybrid Approach: The Smart Solution
Those who understand numbers, like major banks and the Mouvement Desjardins, have found that a hybrid model – with a presence in the office two or three days a week – is the best approach. This fosters team cohesion and facilitates the training of new personnel. Going beyond these requirements for white-collar workers smacks more of bureaucratic authoritarianism than good management.
The evidence on the impact of remote work on productivity is inconclusive. The Quebec Treasury Board, with the help of the Cirano research group, conducted an exhaustive review of existing scientific literature and its own surveys. On productivity, the report cites six studies: three reporting positive effects (8% to 13% gains), and three reporting the opposite (4% to 19% loss). Employees themselves overwhelmingly report being more productive. Among managers, 58% see no change, 27% see a positive change, and only 9% report lower performance. Overall, the balance of data leans towards a productivity gain.
Ottawa’s Rigid Stance: Decisions Made Without Data
In Ottawa, the capital of rigidity, the decision to force employees back to the office was made without waiting for the results of a working group formed in November 2024 to measure productivity. Rest assured, managers aren’t going in blindly. They’re listening… to the needs of businesses. Remote work has reduced foot traffic in downtown areas and doubled the vacancy rate in office towers. Canadian giant Allied Properties, which owns several prominent buildings in Montreal, has seen its value drop by 20% in recent months. Downtown Ottawa merchants have pleaded with the federal government to chain employees to their desks.
This has secondary effects, first on city revenues, then on public transit ridership, and therefore on their financial needs. The question is: based on what variables should remote work be modulated? In my opinion, the primary variable should be the quality of the work itself. And if additional factors are needed, shouldn’t the employee’s quality of life be at the top of the list?
The Benefits of Remote Work: A Win for Families and Well-being
The evidence is overwhelming: employees prefer remote work because they gain time and reduce stress. Has Quebec chosen to prioritize families? According to Statistics Canada, up to 40% of the time gained is reallocated to parental and family time. The elimination of commuting and reduced time spent on personal care or preparing for work allows workers to spend more time with their children, do more unpaid household chores, sleep an extra twenty minutes each night, have more time to eat, and devote thirty more minutes to their daily hobbies.
Remote work helps absorb daycare closures and school emergencies and encourages fathers to increase their parental and domestic participation by 15% to 20%. A major social gain, wouldn’t you say? The German IZA Institute revealed in May 2024 that children whose parents work remotely have better school results (about 2% higher on average). They feel safer and benefit from less stressed parents.
Mental Health and Beyond
What about mental health? After a long period of solitude, people can be affected. That’s true. But what about others? In Quebec, 44% find that their mental health is improving (and 24% say “significantly”), and 41% see no change. Only 12% say the opposite, with 2% saying “significantly.” The net gain is substantial.
Regarding absenteeism, Quebec data doesn’t show a considerable variation. The purpose of public policy is not to adapt life to the needs of the city and capital, but to adapt the city and the economy to the needs of life. Converting office buildings into housing isn’t simple, we know. The plumbing isn’t suitable, and there’s a lack of light. These are challenges that entrepreneurs are tackling, including in Montreal and Ottawa. In New York, the former JPMorgan Chase headquarters is being converted into 1300 apartments. Two enormous skylights have been cut into the middle of the building. It’s expensive, yes. But the longer the vacancy of these offices persists, the more their value will fall, and the closer their recovery and transformation will come to the point of profitability.
Researchers are cautious about the effect of remote work on greenhouse gas emissions. The reduction in commuting and heating of central buildings seems to be offset by the increase in heating homes and additional short trips by car made by employees who have stayed home. But in the kingdom of potholes, anything that can reduce the number of cars on our roads should be seized as a golden opportunity. Anything that can reduce congestion too.
For about half the population, remote work is now possible. It’s a revolution. At worst, neutral for productivity, but certainly good for families, children, sleep, health, and reducing congestion. Unions are fighting to enshrine the right to remote work (partial) in collective agreements. They are right. I believe that in the not-too-distant future, this right will be enshrined in the minimum standards of labour. Shame on the Carney government, Amazon, and others who are slowing down this movement. They are holding things back.
This text is part of our Opinion section, which promotes a plurality of voices and ideas. It is a column and, as such, reflects the values and position of its author and not necessarily those of Le Devoir.
