Talent Canada: Employers vs. workers: Who will win the future-of-work debate?
by Joe Nunes
Underneath it all, many are avoiding a discussion around productivity and the supply and demand for staff.
The faster that an employer can provide clarity to workers on future workplace arrangements, the more settled they can be that they want to be part of that future. (RON/Adobe Stock)
What I find funny is the “us vs. them” tone of so many “return to the office” articles. Either it’s tone-deaf CEOs or it’s unrealistic and selfish employees.
When do we get to the part of the conversations where workers and employers collaborate to find the best outcomes?
I have admitted in past commentaries that I am one of the workers that has really missed face-to-face meetings and even just miss sitting at my desk at the office rather than the “temporary” setup I have at home to cover the two-week lockdown. You might think that this is a good time to invest in a state-of-the-art home office, but that is something I have never had, always preferring a short drive to work to sit at my desk with my stuff.
I was on a call a few days ago with my friend Claire and I couldn’t find my notes from the day before — then I realized those notes were on the “other desk.” Yes, I still write with pen and paper. I went into the office last Saturday just to enjoy the space and the feeling of being at work. If I can’t go back to the life that I once enjoyed, I am more likely to retire than I am to continue in this virtual working world. Stay tuned.
Read more in Talent Canada, one of Canadian Manufacturing’s partner publications.
