Hybrid work preferred model for both mothers and fathers in Canada
Years after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, working Canadian parents are still prioritising flexible work options, according to a survey.
Specifically, more than half of working mothers (55%) and nearly half of working fathers (46%) identified a flexible schedule—one that allows them to work during their most productive hours—as the most significant contributor to their productivity.
This comes as children head back to school, and many professionals are returning to offices full time after the summer.
Rogers Communications and TD Bank are among the employers who have called on workers to report more often to the workplace.
“Flexible work arrangements can offer an array of advantages to company leaders, including higher retention and productivity rates,” according to Indeed. “Employees also often appreciate having flexible schedules, as it can make it easier for them to enjoy a work-life balance and support their own health.”
Differences for mothers, fathers
Hybrid work remains the preferred model for both mothers and fathers, with 79% of working dads and 74% of working moms selecting it as their ideal workplace arrangement, according to Robert Half’s survey of 1,500 Canadian professionals.
However, the survey also reveals notable differences in preferences for remote and on-site roles. Nearly half of working mothers (49%) expressed a desire for fully remote positions, compared to 40% of working fathers.
Conversely, 21% of working dads would choose a fully on-site setup, while only 11% of working moms would opt for this arrangement.
Canadian workers are resisting the return-to-office push, according to a previous report from the Angus Reid Institute.
And the number of sick days taken by federal public servants has increased steadily since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a previous report. The full implementation of the federal government’s return-to-office mandate for workers took effect in September 2024.
How to effectively manage remote employees
Here’s how to effectively manage remote workers, according to Indeed:
- Set clear expectations.
- Consider providing your remote employees with the same equipment you have in the office rather than making them use their own.
- Host regular meetings to discuss projects and assign tasks, but also to just chat as a team.
- Keep remote employees involved.
- Encourage collaboration among all members of the group, remote and otherwise, to increase camaraderie and develop a sense of teamwork.
- If possible, schedule in-person meetings with your remote employees.
