Dear office, it's over so let's just be friends

Remote work can promote equity and a more diverse workforce, writes.

For the past decade, I've been in an unhappy marriage with the office. This marriage was not of my choosing — it was arranged. If I had my choice of where to work, it would have been my charming A-frame bedroom, with its writing nook and window overlooking a cherry-blossom-lined street.

Yet as a single mother struggling to balance work and childcare, I did what was necessary. I settled. For an office. The office was terrible at compromising, and made me commute more than two hours a day. It never once came to me.

It never foot the bill either. Some months it felt like I lost money going to work after paying for transit passes, childcare and the necessary business casual attire the office had me wear. The office required a bum in the seat exactly on schedule each morning; otherwise, I had to send an email to the team, detailing some inane reasoning for my absence: “My daughter has an ear infection,” or my favourite, “My daughter put mandarin orange pieces up her nose.” The office also gave me many respiratory viruses, resulting in sick days.

I never thought I could break free from this constraining relationship, until one day I was swept off my feet by remote work.

For years, working parents — mothers especially — have been asking for flexible schedules to balance their personal and professional responsibilities. It took the global pandemic to make it happen for many of us. If remote work had been available when I was a single mother, it would have been a game changer. When my daughter was a toddler, her daycare closed suddenly, and I could no longer work the core morning hours set by my company. My name was on a dozen wait-lists, but I couldn't find childcare. I was pushed out of the workforce when I needed income the most.

Canada has 1.8 million single-parent families, roughly 80 per cent of whom are women. Single parents have one of the highest poverty rates in the country. Women's participation in the workforce has suffered due to the pandemic, and providing women — especially mothers — with flexibility in the workforce opens doors.

Remote work should be available to everyone who can do their jobs from home, so those requesting the option are not stigmatized. Governments and employers should support remote workers through progressive housing policies and reimbursements for setting up ergonomic home offices so that everyone can access a comfortable workspace. Remote work shouldn't be offered as a perk. Otherwise it isn't viewed as an accessibility tool, but rather a free beer or access to a Foosball table — “a fun bonus.” Remote work is a lifeline for some people, not a Friday treat.

It isn't just single parents who would benefit from more flexible work arrangements.

Around 10 per cent of Canadians report having a disability that impairs their mobility. Three out of five Canadians over 20 have a chronic disease. More than 1 million Canadian adults live with ADHD, and many find offices challenging environments. Remote work could help level the playing field.

Then there is climate change and the obvious benefit of having fewer cars on the road and less need for physical office space.

Today, I am grateful for my employer, which offers a hybrid work arrangement. Remote work is the perfect partner and has made me more creative and collaborative. According to Statistics Canada, 90 per cent of new remote workers report being at least as productive as before.

I only hope that everyone still looking for Mr. or Ms. Right will be as lucky as me and stumble upon remote work. Remote work can promote equity and lead to a more diverse workforce, and all that sounds pretty romantic.