Part 1: Return to the Office Series - Predicting the Return to the Office

AMERICAS: CANADA

Looming over the return to office discussion is the issue of public education. School closures have been more acute and longer in Canada than in most countries, and until there is a return of in-person schooling, a full return to office isn’t possible for many working parents. As such, we see many companies delaying a return to office decision until an expected return to the classroom in Q4 2021. In terms of employee attitudes, younger employees are expressing more interest in a return to the office. Ultimately, of course, it’s the employer’s decision, but the preferences of employees are a consideration for retention, hiring and morale. Older Canadian employees are far more likely to prefer a fully remote option—a quarter of workers over 55 years old indicate a preference for remote work, whereas only 14% of employees under 35 say they prefer a no-office option. Canadians are also less likely than Americans to say they prefer fully remote work. 11 This may reflect the differences in housing and cost of living, where many professionals in Canada occupy smaller spaces never intended to serve as a home office.

DAYS OF SCHOOL FULLY CLOSED Select Countries, March 2020-Present

Asia Europe North America

500

400

300

200

100

0

Canada United States

China

United Kingdom

Germany South Korea Singapore

France

Source: https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/school-closures-covid

22