Experts urge companies to strike a balance with

remote work
Información de publicación: Toronto Star ; Toronto, Ont. [Toronto, Ont]. 25 May 2021: B.2.

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TEXTO COMPLETO
Michael Martyn was tired even before he managed to land his first job in months.
He lost all three of his previous gigs - as a musician, bartender and an administrator in performing arts - at the start
of the pandemic, and the combined stress of paying bills, taking care of his kids and looking for work piled on.
Now that Martyn has a steady job working remotely as an executive with a music festival in Parry Sound, Ont., he
feels invigorated. But he's wary about burning out once the excitement of the new job wears off.
"It's the indefiniteness of it, the vagueness of what to expect, the on-again-off-again approach to our lives," said
Martyn, saying the nature of the pandemic takes a toll on his working life.
Recruitment agencies and workers say remote-working norms in a pandemic age were created pretty much
overnight, and employers need to ensure they stamp out any unhealthy work practices as the pandemic drags on.
Experts say it's especially critical for retention.
A survey by Robert Half, another large recruitment agency in Canada, found that feelings of burnout were coupled
with feelings of career stagnation, with 62 per cent of respondents saying the pandemic had made them feel stuck
on career advancement and salary growth.
The same survey found that employers need to ensure they're supporting their workers, or else they could face
mass departures when pandemic uncertainty lifts and people become less risk-averse.
A poll by the Canadian Centre for the Purpose of the Corporation found that 42 per cent of Canadian employees
say they're considering changing their job or entire career in the next year.
Brian Gallant, CEO of CCPC and former premier of New Brunswick, said it's striking that only four per cent of those
people said compensation was the reason they were considering a change of pace.
"The No. 1 reason some Canadians are considering a different job is the belief that their employer cares almost
solely about revenue or profits and does not care enough about stakeholders like employees."
Experts point out that one of the most consequential parts of working from home is the proximity that employees
have to their work computers and phones at all times.
"Habits were just built: Habits by employees of logging on early, and habits of employers of their staff being
accessible at all times," said Travis O'Rourke, president of the recruiting firm Hays Canada.
But O'Rourke and other experts say remote work offers a perfect opportunity to provide the flexibility and focus on
their personal lives that statistics show Canadians desire.
Recruitment agencies and workplace learning organizations say employers need to ensure that workers
experience the full benefits of working from home by providing flexible hours.
Jeremy Shaki, CEO of Lighthouse Labs, an up-skilling learning group, said employers need to ensure that there is
no shame or questioning related to employees taking personal days.
"The company needs to constantly reaffirm that people won't be judged for taking a personal day," said Shaki. "At
this point in time through COVID, it's a very critical element that most employees are still fearful of it (looking like a
sign of weakness)."
While employees need space to make time for themselves, Shaki also said managers need to ensure they're able to
continually check in with their workers - something that isn't as casual as it used to be when everyone was in the

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office together.
The Canadian Press
CREDIT: Salmaan Farooqui The Canadian Press

DETALLES

Materia: Recruitment; Careers; Employers; Flexible hours; Employees; Pandemics; Wages

&salaries

Término de indexación de Asunto: Recruitment Careers Employers Flexible hours Employees Wages &salaries
negocios:

Lugar: Canada

Empresa/organización: Nombre: Canadian Press; NAICS: 519110

Título: Experts urge companies to strike a balance with remote work: Employers must
quash risky practices to curb burnout, keep staff

Título de publicación: Toronto Star; Toronto, Ont.

Primera página: B.2

Año de publicación: 2021

Fecha de publicación: May 25, 2021

Sección: Business

Editorial: Torstar Syndication Services, a Division of Toronto Star Newspapers Limited

Lugar de publicación: Toronto, Ont.

País de publicación: Canada, Toronto, Ont.

Materia de publicación: General Interest Periodicals--Canada

ISSN: 03190781

Tipo de fuente: Periódicos

Idioma de la publicación: English

Tipo de documento: News

ID del documento de 2531494303

ProQuest:

URL del documento: https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/experts-urge-companies-strike-balance-

with-remote/docview/2531494303/se-2?accountid=44852

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Última actualización: 2021-05-25

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