Many Canadian employers say they won’t continue work-from-home flexibility after pandemic

Guess where I won't be working....ya those companies lol

crucial1 wrote: ↑Guess where I won't be working....ya those companies lol

The whole time my VP was saying we will never go back to office permanently given how popular wfh is. Now she has changed her tune and the most recent email was phase back won't start until spring. So I guess we are going back? It's hard to leave if you are a professional in a niche industry and have tenure. I get 6 weeks vacation now and manage a very independent team so my workload is very low.

Yeah, honestly who knows how things are going to go. I definitely think there will be tons of companies calling people back in and some that will have some more flex. One thing that is certain is that the future right now is very uncertain...we are potentially one covid mutation away from everything going back to the way it was in the beginning of 2020....who knows

People will be going back to the office after the pandemic, but my boss already told me I can keep working from home. I made it very clear that I greatly prefer this.

Personally, I think the results of WFH in 2021 (some companies will keep, some will be back, some will mix) will end up having a minor impact on RE, as compared to other factors ie: opening back up Restaurants/Bars/Retail, Events (Sports, Concerts, festivals), Immigration, etc.

I hope the companies that NEEDLESSLY force whitecollar staff back into cubicles get darwin'd out of existence.

WFH has always been a part of my practice group, but there will be a form of return to the office eventually. There was never a contemplation of a permanent, total WFH model. Apparently organization wide the uptake on a completely voluntary return to the office in the new year was more than expected. People getting tired of being at home babysitting the entire time, most likely.

lolbeast wrote: ↑ I hope the companies that NEEDLESSLY force whitecollar staff back into cubicles get darwin'd out of existence.

Those with less tenure may look elsewhere

My employer has said they are evaluating the situation. We'll see what happens, although some (just a few) people were working from home prior to the pandemic. I would prefer a mix, maybe 3 days at the office and 2 at home.

crucial1 wrote: ↑Yeah, honestly who knows how things are going to go. I definitely think there will be tons of companies calling people back in and some that will have some more flex. One thing that is certain is that the future right now is very uncertain...we are potentially one covid mutation away from everything going back to the way it was in the beginning of 2020....who knows

I think the biggest issue for many companies is privacy and security. Before COVID we couldn't even have usbs at work and now we have thousands of low level and new employees with laptops at home it's a huge liability.

ozzie16 wrote: ↑ People getting tired of being at home babysitting the entire time, most likely.

There is a big difference between working from home in the true sense and working while watching kids. During the summer I worked and watched my 5 year old, it was a mixed day. I would stop work around 10pm and work weekends. I still wasn't working a full work week. Working from home now with school in is productive.

We haven't heard anything but I'm certain we will be back in the office eventually. That's the impression I get from the company surveys...lol

sircheersa wrote: ↑ I think the biggest issue for many companies is privacy and security. Before COVID we couldn't even have usbs at work and now we have thousands of low level and new employees with laptops at home it's a huge liability.

I get quite tired of this old CISO mentality that this is an issue. If an employee wanted to download all the company files onto a drive, then they already did, regardless if you are WFH or otherwise. I can't count how many times I've hired people that can pull up files from past workplaces.

Dynafrom wrote: ↑ I get quite tired of this old CISO mentality that this is an issue. If an employee wanted to download all the company files onto a drive, then they already did, regardless if you are WFH or otherwise. I can't count how many times I've hired people that can pull up files from past workplaces.

Try explaining that to my VPs who are 50+ and can't figure out how to use a pivot table.

The commute back from Barrie/Keswick/Guelph/etc where all the geniuses moved out to will be glorious.

Well, many of us said this.

I don't see how companies won't go hybrid. I think after 12 months of WFH, companies have established WFH works.
Any company going back to full office working sounds old-school and archaic.

sircheersa wrote: ↑ Many Canadian employers say they won’t continue work-from-home flexibility after pandemic

And many say they will.... Now, as all were working from office just last year, what's the news here?

sircheersa wrote: ↑ I think the biggest issue for many companies is privacy and security. Before COVID we couldn't even have usbs at work and now we have thousands of low level and new employees with laptops at home it's a huge liability.

Way cheaper for companies to beef up online security, if not done that yet.... Just curious, now working from home you can use usb's on your work computer?

I can see a hybrid model. Assigned offices will disappear in favour of generic workstations. Companies can get rid of 1/3 of their real estate, saving a ton.