According to PwC’s Canadian workforce study, we’re on the edge of a new world of work and this change will bring opportunities to reimagine collaboration, innovation and project delivery. The study takes the pulse of more than 1500 employees and 500 employers across the country, looking at perceptions of productivity and effectiveness during the COVID-19 pandemic and considers how willing Canadians are to return to the office.

Remote work is here to stay
As the world adjusts to the new working environment, organizations are trying to develop best practices for remote working as well as how to return to the workplace. Prior to the pandemic, 82% of Canadian employees worked primarily from an office. Today that number is down to 27%. While 78% of employers expect a partial return to the workplace in the next three months, only one in five employees say they want to go back to the office full time. The majority want the flexibility to pick between their home and the office as needed.

Engaging people within the digital workplace 
The top two challenges for nearly half of the employees surveyed was maintaining day-to-day work productivity and finding the right work-life balance, especially for those with kids. Additionally, communicating with coworkers in the absence of traditional in-person interaction has been a major adjustment. Employers will need to consider a business strategy that meets the evolving needs of their company, while also considering the changing needs of their people.

Investing in people pays off
It’s no surprise that employers who invest in their people have been able to better adjust amid this uncertainty. According to the survey, two-thirds of Canadian employees reported being provided with upskilling opportunities. This access to upskilling showed increased confidence in the organization’s leadership as well as increased productivity when compared to those who didn’t receive upskilling opportunities.

Most employees and employers feel their company has the necessary tools for employees to succeed in their position, but this varies among industries. Looking at the public sector, for example, workers in education, government and health care reported lower access to the tools they need to do their jobs amidst the pandemic compared to other industries.