Get a comfy desk chair — remote work is probably here to stay.
Long after the pandemic is over, employees at flexible workplaces could see more opportunities to work from home, sparking a potential decline in urban living and a “rural boom” instead, says the Brookfield Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
In a report released Thursday, the think tank based out of Ryerson University identified virtual workspaces as one of the most enduring changes to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, with implications for how people find work and where they choose to live.
“More and more Canadians have been making the shift from in-person activities to virtual ones,” the study says. “COVID-19 has significantly accelerated this shift, meaning more and more Canadians are living, working, and playing online.”
According to Statistics Canada, 40 per cent of workers shifted to remote work following the pandemic lockdowns. Businesses both big and small have since made changes that are expected to remain in place after restrictions are lifted.