Survey of Canadians working from home due to COVID-19 elicits positive responses

As we gradually emerge from this exhausting pandemic, we thought we’d give you an update focusing on how Canadians are coping with the lockdown. The team at ClickMeeting – specialists in video conferencing, online meetings and webinar software designed to bring students, customers and team members together – recently researched the state of our nation as we continue to work and learn remotely. Its timely survey provided some fascinating insights on working and learning remotely in Canada. ClickMeeting also has easy-to-follow printable PDF eBooks and a host of other resources that will help to kick-start online events. You’ll also find helpful guides on best practices, tips and tricks. Here are just some of the survey’s findings:

• During the pandemic, not surprisingly, there’s been a huge surge in online events taking place with a 375% increase each week and a 560% increase in online audience sizes since the start of the pandemic. In fact, in March of this year alone, the number of webinars organized on ClickMeeting reached nearly 250,000!

• Remote-work employers around the world are coping with previous times (when most employees were physically present at work), and future work environments (when vaccines will facilitate a safe return to the traditional workplace). Yet even when that happens, remote work will have earned a permanent place in the employment mix, the survey revealed.

• Just 19% of those currently working remotely would choose to return to an office during the current pandemic.

• 56% of respondents currently enjoy remote work and view the ‘hybrid’ work model (working partly at home and partly at the office) as an ideal working environment – one that increases productivity and trust among employees. This presents companies with two challenges. First, how to manage remote-working conditions amid the uncertainty of today, and second, how to prepare for and optimize the ‘hybrid’ working models of tomorrow, in which in-person and remote work will be at opposite ends of a fluid spectrum of options.

• The survey also revealed some interesting statistics about remote work. The ‘hybrid’ workforce was an ideal model for 46% of survey respondents. About 30% preferred purely remote work, while 19% preferred an in-person office environment.

• 74% of those who took part in the survey expect compensation for using their personal Iternet, furniture or equipment. And, 28% feel that they should receive a higher salary for working at home.

Educational preferences

• In the realm of education, a combination of conventional and virtual classrooms was an ideal option for 60%, whereas 25% of respondents preferred traditional in-person, at-school education. A mere 6% preferred online-only learning.

• Schools and universities are not prepared for online education, according to 44% of respondents, but it’s only a matter of small investments to catch up, they added.

• 33% believed that schools are ready to teach online. The remaining 23% said that there are too many issues that need major improvements in this area.

• With the pandemic set to continue for at least the next school term, 49% of those surveyed think that schools should only continue online courses for the foreseeable future. Plus, 28% still worry about their children returning to school and believe that education should be taken virtually for now.