If one Liberal MP has his way, Canadians could reporting to work in their bathrobes once a year.
Michael Savage is among a growing number of people who believe more Canadians should have the chance to work from home at least once a year.
The Liberal Critic for Human Resources and Skills Development appeared in Parliament Wednesday, and spoke out in support of a National Work From Home Day.
In a statement released earlier, Savage said “the option to work from home should be part of that national discussion” in Canada.
The catalyst for Savage’s initiative was a social media campaign launched by the job resource site, Workopolis.
Content manager Peter Harris put a post on the site’s Facebook page last spring suggesting Canadians be allowed to work from home on their birthdays. “That idea didn’t fly, but people did respond to the concept of working from home,” Harris told globalnews.ca.
Workopolis then put a related poll on its home page. Over ten days, 20,000 people voted in the poll – a 600 per cent increase over the number that usually vote in the site’s polls. About 80 per cent of respondents voiced their support for a work-from-home initiative.
Workopolis created a Facebook page devoted to the effort. About 50,000 “liked” the page and posted enthusiastic messages on it.
The groundswell of support for the initiative prompted Workopolis to contact Savage. “He was very supportive right from the start,” Workopolis President Gabriel Bouchard told globalnews.ca. “He saw all the benefits of working from home.”
Work-life balance a growing concern
These days, Canadians are more concerned about their work-life balance than ever before, says Bouchard. “It’s an issue for those with young children at home and even for those who have to take care of their parents.”
Those who support the work-from-home initiative say less time spent commuting would allow more time spent with family.
They also say cutting back on commuting would help the environment.
Bouchard says that on a day in which a million Canadians worked from home, Co2 omissions would be reduced by 250 million kilos and 100 million litres of fuel would be saved.
Bouchard also says research indicates employees are more productive when working from home.
Harris often works from home and says it “allows him to get things done without being distracted. I wouldn’t like to work from home every day because I enjoy the creative banter at work and the company of my colleagues,” he adds. “But I like having the freedom and flexibility to work from home. It’s empowering.”
Workopolis is one of many companies that has flexible work options.
TD Bank, for example, offers employees the opportunity to work from home once a week, start and finish the work day earlier or later, share a job with a colleague or even work part-time.
TD executive Joan Goodman of Toronto works four days a week – one of which she spends at home.
“The main benefits are avoiding the 45-minute commute and being at home at certain times of the day,” she told globalnews.ca. “I’m there to see the kids off to school in the morning, and I’m there when they get home from after-school activities.”
Goodman says she is more productive when she’s working from home. “I use those days to get work done. I don’t use them as opportunities to do anything else. In my home office, there are no people stopping by my desk and no coffee runs. There are fewer distractions.”
Skeptics note that less focused employees aren’t productive working at home. But, Bouchard points out, “unproductive people will be unproductive no matter where they are.”
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