Many parts of the world are returning to normal after COVID-19 and that includes heading back to the office for work. In today’s article, we look at what employees think about remote work, the lure of the hybrid working model, why employees are anxious about going back into the workplace after COVID-19 and how small business owners can help with that.

What do employees think about remote work?

According to Statistics Canada, 32% of Canadian employees (15 to 69 years old) worked most of their hours from home at the beginning of 2021. In 2016, that number was 4%. What do employees think about this trend?It seems that many employees love working from home, even considering the downsides. A recent survey from the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute found that 81% of investment professionals would like to work remotely at least part of the time. 53% said they’re more efficient due to remote work. However, this survey also uncovered a dark side; 15% of the respondents said they work more than 60 hours a week (before COVID-19, only 8% said this).

A 2021 Statistics Canada study, Working from home: Productivity and preferences, confirms that employees like working from home—to a point—and would like to continue some aspects of remote work after COVID-19 passes.The study found these employee preferences for a post-COVID-19 world:

• 80% of new remote workers would like to work from home at least half the time.
• 41% would like to work half and half inside and outside the home.
• 24% would like to work at home most of the time.
• 15% would like to work completely at home.
• 11% would like to work outside of the home most of the time.
• 9% would like to work entirely outside the home.

This study also illuminated the downsides associated with remote work including:

• Less productivity due to a lack of interaction with colleagues.
• Difficulty accessing work-related information.
• Inadequate workspace at home.
• Slow internet.
• Time-consuming workarounds.
• Increased work hours (compared to working in the office before COVID-19).
• Difficulty carving out a proper work-life balance.

Why do employees find the hybrid work model so alluring?

There are many headlines suggesting COVID-19 will change how we work forever. Business Insider reports that tech giants Twitter and Facebook will allow staff to work remotely 100% after COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. Microsoft is considering a hybrid model with the possibility of fully remote work and the Life Shack website maintains a list of companies that are remote-work friendly. There’s speculation that office towers and tech hubs will become obsolete due to an insatiable desire for remote work.But as the above surveys show, most employees don’t want to work remotely all the time. They want to enjoy the best of both worlds offered by a hybrid work arrangement. Benefits Canada reports that Google, IBM and the City of Toronto are implementing a hybrid work model.Why employees want a hybrid work model that offers remote and in-office workdays:

• Less commuting time.
• Opportunities to network and collaborate with colleagues in person.
• More flexibility to take care of personal and medical appointments.
• Easier to achieve a work-life balance than full-time remote work (for many but not all).
• More productivity.

A hybrid work arrangement is a good opportunity for employers to make their employees happy (and perhaps cut down on office space).

Are employees anxious about going back to the workplace after COVID-19? Yes!

Even though most employees want to work in their workplaces part time, this transition period is fraught with anxiety because of a year (or more) of chronic stress. A Canadian survey found that compared to before COVID-19, 49% of people say their physical well-being is worse and 57% say their mental well-being is worse. The effects of stress are also highlighted in a recent report by the American Psychological Association which found that between 47% and 57% of survey respondents “feel uneasy about adjusting to in-person interaction once the pandemic ends.”In a Fast Company article, Dr. Gail Saltz, associate professor of psychiatry, explains why this anxiety is so common. She says, “It’s not as simple as turning it off like a switch. Any major behavioral change one makes driven by fear, then gets reinforced in a cognitive-behavioral sense—that reinforces that behavior. So now, doing something different, after that habit has been formed over a long period of time, will incite some anxiety.”

A simple way for employers to support employees during the back to work transition

Whether your employees are coming back to your workplace full-time, part-time or not at all, the best way to support this transition is by encouraging open communication. Be clear about your expectations, ask about concerns and let your employees know what kind of support is available to help them through this transition. We suggest offering your employees a simple, flexible and affordable employee benefits plan like the BeniPlus Wallet and showing them how to use it to access mental and physical health resources.If you’re a small business owner who’d like to provide your remote and in-office employees with a simple, flexible and affordable employee benefits program, take 10 minutes today to get a quote.