Remote work was once a perk for tech workers
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, many tech companies in Canada were quick to embrace remote work as a way to keep their employees safe and productive. Shopify, one of the country’s largest e-commerce platforms, declared that “office centricity is over” and announced a permanent shift to remote work for most of its staff. Meta, formerly known as Facebook, also said it would allow up to half of its workforce to work remotely in the next decade.
Remote work was seen as a perk for tech workers, who could enjoy more flexibility, autonomy, and work-life balance. Some workers even took advantage of the opportunity to travel and work from different locations, as long as they had a reliable internet connection. Heather Aleinik, a 29-year-old software developer from Calgary, was one of them. She loved working remotely for Shopify, where she felt more comfortable and productive as a neurodivergent person.
Remote work is becoming less common in the tech sector
However, things changed for Aleinik when she was laid off from Shopify last summer. She found a new job at another software firm that advertised a “five-year remote commitment”, but soon realized that the company was planning to open a new office in Florida and require some employees to return to the office three days a week. She quit before the policy took effect, fearing that she would lose her remote work privileges.
Aleinik’s experience is not an isolated one. According to a recent report from Indeed, a job search site, the share of Canadians who had some form of hybrid work arrangement and were fully remote dropped from 75 per cent a year ago to just under 60 per cent this year. This suggests that employers are moving away from entirely remote roles and toward hybrid and in-person work arrangements.
The tech sector is no exception. While some tech giants like Shopify and Meta are still committed to remote work, others are changing their stance. Google, for example, has asked its employees to return to the office at least three days a week by January 2023, or apply for an exemption if they want to work remotely full-time. Apple has also delayed its return-to-office plan until February 2023, but expects most employees to come in at least three days a week.
The reasons behind the shift vary
The reasons behind the shift away from remote work vary depending on the company and the industry. Some employers may be concerned about the impact of remote work on collaboration, innovation, and culture. Others may be responding to the changing preferences of their employees, who may miss the social interaction and support that comes with working in an office. Still others may be facing competitive pressures or regulatory challenges that make remote work less feasible.
For tech workers like Aleinik, who prefer working remotely, the shift can be frustrating and stressful. She worries that she will have fewer options and opportunities in the future, and that she will have to compromise her health and happiness for her career. She hopes that more tech companies will recognize the benefits of remote work and offer more flexibility and choice to their employees.
“I think there’s a lot of value in having people who are happy and healthy and productive,” she said. “And I think remote work is one of the ways to achieve that.”
