How to create a remote work policy that works everyone

In the latest episode of the Rotman Executive Summary podcast, professor Sarah Kaplan and Carmina Ravanera from the Institute for Gender and the Economy (GATE) explore how equity and accessibility can play a role in the back-to-office conversation.

As leaders across corporate Canada continue to test their versions of remote and hybrid work policies, Kaplan says it’s clear the demands of workers are changing.

“Leaders don’t always know how to respond to [changing demands] in terms of how to design work and how to change their policies,” Kaplan says. “And many of them are worried about the effects on inequality.”

Kaplan, Ravanera and their colleague Kim de Laat explored the tensions in their recent report, “The Future of Work: Will Remote Work Help or Hinder the Pursuit of Equality?” The research suggests there’s no one-size-fits-all approach, and both workers and organizations benefit from policies that remove the stigma of remote work. It can be particularly helpful for those in caregiving roles — who happen to be largely women — people of colour who experience micro-aggressions in a traditional office setting and those who can only afford to be homeowners outside of the city.

“[Remote work] increases job satisfaction, people’s feelings of motivation when they’re working and even job performance,” says Ravanera.