After more than two years of working from home, many Canadians are gradually returning to the office as more COVID-19 public health restrictions are lifted. While some may welcome the idea of no longer working from home, others might not be as keen to leave the flexibility of remote work.
“We're building, in real-time, this efficiency equation,” Rajhans told CTV’s Your Morning on Wednesday. “How are we going to be able to prove that we're really competent enough to be able to handle this hybrid work situation, [that] it's efficient for all different types of people, and it's able to accommodate any type of scenario that is put in front of them?”The shift to remote work has led to greater digital integration, Rajhans said.
Enhanced digital integration in the workplace also raises concerns around surveillance, Rajhans said. This can involve capturing images and videos that can be stored and shared over communication networks for the purpose of monitoring employees, as well as mining group chats, he said. Rajhans recommends that workers read their job agreements to get a better sense of what this surveillance might look like. While there are upsides to a hybrid work arrangement, including not having to spend as much time commuting, a lot of work remains in making sure that everyone has access to the tools and knowledge necessary to make hybrid work both accessible and productive, said Rajhans.