Let's not judge telework by current conditions

Our pandemic experience is not what working from home need look like, Ariane Ollier-malaterre writes.

Working from home, or telework, is here to stay. According to Statistics Canada, nearly 40 per cent of Canadians have jobs that could be done remotely, and a survey by the Angus Reid Institute found two-thirds of teleworkers say they expect to continue after COVID.

This is probably welcome news to many people, including the majority of workers in downtown Montreal who recently said they want to continue working remotely after COVID. But as the pandemic wears on, some miss gossiping with co-workers and want to brainstorm with a human being rather than an image on a screen. Some employers, meanwhile, are concerned about productivity among out-of-sight workers.

I have been a work-family scholar for more than 15 years, and one of my areas of expertise is flexible work arrangements, including telework. I can say with authority that the abrupt transition to working full-time from home, set against the surreal and terrifying backdrop of a global pandemic, is not telework; it is forced telework. And it's a far cry from what research recommends.

So to the doubters, I say: Take heart. Telework, when done well, can be a lot more productive and enjoyable — for both employers and employees — than what we are experiencing.

Full disclosure: I love working from home. I started after a decade spent working in offices, often where long, in-person hours were required. But ever since I wrote my PHD dissertation, I have been working from home two to three days per week. Living in St-lambert, I am lucky to be able to work with a view of my garden, the birds and the occasional hare or groundhog.

I believe I am equally — if not more — productive at home as in an office, and I'm not alone. A recent survey by iometrics and Global Workplace Analytics found that more than three-quarters of workers are fully productive at home.

But for others, telework isn't working.

In a survey of 1,663 adults in Germany, people — especially mothers — reported less satisfaction with work and family life during lockdowns. Other data from Canadian workers suggests that work productivity fell during the first months of the pandemic.

There is evidence to suggest that employers aren't fully satisfied, either. Experts are seeing increases in the use of monitoring tools to track teleworkers' behaviour. But evidence suggests that it's short-sighted of companies to withhold trust, because telework can be a huge benefit to both employers and employees — when done well. Here's how telework should work:

When: A meta analysis of 46 studies on telework shows that working from home up to two or three days per week lets employees reap the benefits of telework without harming relationships with co-workers.

What: Teleworkers should be able to focus on work, not childcare or schooling, and have a dedicated, ergonomic workspace with reliable Internet and software.

Who: Research suggests that certain people will take to telework more than others, such as those who are already comfortable in their jobs, like to work independently, are self-disciplined and are good planners. Others — those new to a job or role, procrastinators and people who need social interactions — might struggle more.

How: Employees and managers need to agree upfront on communications routines, performance objectives and evaluation criteria, to ensure teleworkers are not penalized during performance reviews compared to on-site workers. Skills: Managers should receive training and support to best help teleworking employees. Remaining connected after work hours is associated with more work-family conflict and emotional exhaustion, so people at home need to develop boundaries. They can do so by turning off the computer by a set time at the end of the workday, and disconnecting during the weekend.

Let's not turn away from what could be a vast improvement in the lives and productivity of many. This year is not how telework has to look.