Workforce WindsorEssex has released a new report, called Remote Work in Our Community, to recognize the benefits and dispel myths surrounding remote work.
According to officials, the report encourages local employers to continue to embrace innovative remote work strategies to benefit both them and workers in the long-term.
The report warns employers that the wrong company policy for your industry could lead to retention and recruitment challenges.
Tashlyn Teskey, Manager of Research Projects, explains that they originally did a survey of local employees which found that 75% felt positive changes since working remotely and 84% noted they would like to continue being able to work remotely.
On the flip side, she says when they surveyed employers they saw closer to 30% of them wanting to offer the option.
Teskey says a lot of that is based around the 'myth' of productivity.
"A lot of employers think that their employees if they're at home they might be more distracted and they might not be as productive. For some employers they just don't really see how it works for their sector, but the other side of it is employees saying they're actually more productive at home, there's less distractions and less people walking about the office," she said.
Teskey says she hopes the report can help to alleviate some of the concerns employers have, based on data directly from local employees.
"A lot of them over time are really seeing that the work is still getting done. Some of it might be at a different pace, but a lot of it is they can't see their employees working so they kind of have to just trust the process of when they receive the end product, that's where they can really see how it's working."
Other benefits to employers outlined in the report include an increase in worker satisfaction, the opportunity to outsource skilled labour that may be lacking in Windsor-Essex, and the ability to hire more workers without increasing office space and overhead costs during business growth.
The report also looks at some of the challenges related to remote work, including logistics challenges of getting everyone together for meetings and Zoom fatigue.
Teskey says a lot of the findings also depend on what industries can benefit from remote work, as well as the offering of a hybrid style.
"Those working in public administration, education roles, finance and insurance, as well as the tech sector are all really benefiting from this change. A lot of folks are benefiting as well from a hybrid model, so when they need that more team work or collaboration space that's when you'd go into the office maybe on designated days. But when you want that focused time, you're able to do that from home," she said.
According to Statistics Canada, 40% of Canadian jobs can be done from home, and almost six in 10 workers with a bachelor's degree or 59% can work from home, but Teskey says specific to Windsor it's closer to 23% of jobs that can be done remotely.
The entire report can be found here.
- with files from AM800's The Dan MacDonald Show