To be, or not to be, remote?<\/p>\n
That is the question Brock University\u2019s Niagara Community Observatory (NCO) is exploring in its latest research brief on the future of working at home or some office-home combination.<\/p>\n
With stay-at-home orders instituted in March 2020 winding down, \u201cwe are now at a key transition point that requires deliberate discussion and planning,\u201d says brief co-author Kate Cassidy.<\/p>\n
\u201cPivoting quickly during an emergency is one thing, but building a remote work strategy for the long term is quite another,\u201d says Cassidy, adjunct professor within Brock\u2019s Department of Communication, Popular Culture and Film.<\/p>\n
The brief, titled \u201cTo be, or not to be, remote? Examining the essential factors needed for ongoing remote work success,\u201d explores the benefits and potential downsides of remote work.<\/p>\n
Cassidy and co-author Mackenzie Rockbrune, an undergraduate Communications student, identify seven themes, and a series of questions attached to each theme, that aim to guide managers in their decision on whether or not to implement a permanent remote work plan or hybrid workforce going forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor those organizations that do choose some form of remote work, our research suggests that success depends on building a culture rooted in human connection, supported with clear communication plans, the right digital tools and a compatible managerial style,\u201d says Cassidy.<\/p>\n
The start of the COVID-19 pandemic last year saw an estimated 70,000 people in Niagara leave their offices and work primarily at home for the first time.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, labour force reports indicate that about one third of Ontario businesses anticipate some remote work to continue after the emergency ends, says the brief.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe hope that our research will stimulate conversations that help organizations build a successful long-term plan that works for everyone involved,\u201d says Cassidy.<\/p>\n
Cassidy and Rockbrune will be presenting their research findings at an online event Wednesday, Oct. 20 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. A panel of Niagara business leaders will discuss the challenges businesses are facing with the return to working in office.<\/p>\n
What:<\/strong> Presentation of the NCO brief \u201cTo be, or not to be, remote? Examining the essential factors needed for ongoing remote work success\u201d by co-authors Kate Cassidy and Mackenzie Rockbrune.<\/p>\n