Working From Home In Canada: What’s Next?
In the past, working from home was seen as a perk for employees who had accomplished something great. But in the era of Covid-19 and the flexible workplace within the gig economy, working from home is becoming an increasingly common option for most types of workers. So what does the future look like for working from home in Canada? And how are business owners adapting to this change? Read on to find out!
The Rise of Working From Home in Canada
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on how people work and live. For example, one year after the crisis began in 2020 millions of Canadians were spending more time at home instead of working indoors where it’s safe while also reducing the risk of potential infection or injury.
The new normal is now considered an old model as remote employee numbers increase each month making this country less reliant upon traditional office spaces which some belief will help combat future crises by giving individuals greater flexibility.
The Benefits of Working From Home
1. Better Work-Life Balance. Flexible work schedules are a huge benefit for those looking to maintain their personal life while still achieving success at home and on the job. This means that you can start or end your day as early/late as desired, provided there’s enough work completed each time so it leads towards strong outcomes overall!
2. Less Commute Stress. Commuting is often the most boring and tedious part of anyone’s day, and likely you’re probably spending way too much time doing it. A study found that Canadians spend an average 24 minutes each trip in traffic – nearly one full hour just getting to/from work!
While this may not seem like a ton, it adds up over time. For example, a 30-minute commute each way adds up to :
- 1 hr. per day
- 5 hrs.’ per week
- 20 hrs.’ per month
- 240 hrs.’ per year or 30 workdays per year
3. Money Savings. Home workers can save themselves $2,000-$4000 per year by working from home. You have to spend far less money on gas or car maintenance since you’re not driving yourself everywhere every day at work! Parking fees are also much lower for those who do their commuting from home base so this is another big savings option that most people don’t account for when they calculate the cost of living away from an office space. People often overlook some really important things in calculating how much it costs them financially while working remotely–like reduced expenses due to having one less vehicle necessary (or even simply sharing).
4. Less Environmental Impact. The benefits of working from home include a reduced commute time, which saves money and reduces environmental impact. Lesser commuting frequency eventually leads to lower greenhouse gas emissions for an office environment as well!
The Challenges Of Working From Home
Collaboration and communication. Non-verbal communication is often used to interpret others’ thoughts and feelings. Humans rely on nonverbal communication when communicating with one another. This can be a challenge for those who work from home, as they may not have any visual cues or ways of showing what they mean.
5. Increased Productivity + Performance. Working from home has been proven to be beneficial for both employees and employers alike. With less office politics, a quieter noise level (or no sound at all), and many other benefits like increased productivity due in part to being free of distractions that come with working outside your own space–it’s clear why more companies are choosing to telecommute over traditional offices!
6. Happier and Healthier Work Life. Remote workers are more likely to be happy and loyal employees. Home-based working has been shown time after time as a way for people who prefer the comfort of their own homes, but still need some form or office space during business hours.
Working from home can also lead to better health in a variety of ways:
- More time for physical activity
- The ability to eat healthier
- Can recover from illness or surgery at home
- Less exposure to illnesses
- Ease of caring for a health issue or disability
- The option to create a comfortable and ergonomic workspace.
Distractions at Home. Sometimes the most disciplined and organized people are still susceptible to distractions at home. Dishes can start piling up, bookshelves might become dusty–anything could break your concentration! That’s why it’s important for remote teams members (or those living with family) not only to keep their homes clean but also to create rituals around productivity so they don’t lose time during these moments of weakness.
Motivation. Remote employees are at risk of losing motivation when they face a lack of external inputs and interaction. This can lead them to lose sight of their goals in favor of short-term gains, which is why we’re seeing such an increase among remote teams who have been hit hardest by COVID-19 pandemic stress.
Time Management. Working from home is often an exciting prospect, but it can also be very challenging if you don’t have the right tools for success. You need the discipline to maintain proper working hours and manage your time wisely so that way there are no distractions or oversleeping on tasks at hand!
Tips For Staying Productive When Working From Home
Listen to music. Music can help you get the most out of your workday by masking distractions, giving a sense of focus and organization to proceedings (especially if there’s an office environment that doesn’t allow it), as well as boosting productivity.
In addition, music has been shown time after time not only to improve how we feel but also our moods which makes this yet another reason why everyone needs some tunes around! So go ahead – blast away under closed doors or sing karaoke in secret corners- just don’t forget about those close enough to listen.
Designate a specific workspace. When you work from home, your workspace should be specifically designated and not just any old corner of the house. This will help to keep distractions low so that focus can become more prevalent in what is often such a hectic environment for people who lead full-time lives online as workers or freelancers alike! If possible try setting up an actual office space rather than using whatever room becomes available – this way there’ll never again need to worry about cramped conditions getting between them when they’re trying their best to concentrate on something important.
Take breaks and go outside. The fresh air and sunshine are good for plants, but they’re also essential to your health. Regular exercise can help improve mental clarity as well! If you have a dog then take advantage of going outside throughout the day by getting short breaks every few hours in order to increase productivity levels at home or work.
How Businesses Are Adapting To Work From Home
New Digital Security Threats. The Internet is an increasingly dangerous place for our personal information. And it poses an even larger threat when the security protections of the office are removed from the equation. Whether it’s customer information, medical records, credit card numbers, or even social security numbers – anything we do offline can be compromised if left unattended on the web.
Management Adaptation. Management of a remote team is no easy feat. Adapting to the new environment requires more than just changing how they work, but also understanding their productivity levels and performance in order for them not to feel left out or underappreciated.
Some major challenges management faces are figuring out what metrics were most important – like whether someone could get into meetings easily via a phone call instead of Face Timing individually? And should we prioritize engagement between teams all over the globe versus making sure everyone gets along well within proximity boundaries?
Digital Footprints. When goal-based and results-based methods for assessing productivity became popular, it was clear that being in an environment where people are collaborative can allow underperformers to fly below the radar. As teams completed projects together they reaped rewards of work largely done by others while contributing little themselves
The managers who switched from using traditional ways of measuring employee performance found out there’s still hope – if you’re willing to do your job well enough then maybe one day soon we’ll see some improvement!
Remote work technologies have forced company leaders to see their workforce in a different light. The applications they use leave behind digital footprints that can be tracked back and forth between workers, highlighting where the activity took place at any given time – who did what? When was it done? These new ways of working also help businesses stay more organized as teams become mobile across international borders or internally among different departments within one organization.
In Conclusion
The number of people working from home in Canada is on the rise. This trend is expected to continue in the coming years, as more and more people are recognizing the benefits of telecommuting. Working from home can be a great way to balance work and family responsibilities, or to save money on commuting costs.
Despite the many benefits of working from home, there are some challenges that come with it. However, with the right tools in place, these challenges can be overcome. Working from home is becoming more popular in Canada, and as technology continues to evolve, the future looks bright for those who want to telecommute or start their own business. Have you worked from home in Canada? What tips would you share?
Maverick Gardner is a growing leader MSP (Managed Service Provider) in IT Consulting, Infrastructure. IT Services, Support and Maintenance Services, Cloud, Deployment and Procurement, Disaster Recovery, IT Outsourcing Services, and more!
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