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Case Study: Staples Professional and the Future of Work
Are you ready for the future of work?
The Challenge
In partnership with Angus Reid Group, Staples Professional surveyed office employees and senior decision-makers at businesses of all sizes across Canada to better understand the current and future landscape of work.
Results
ARG and Staples produced the Future of Work Trend Report which delivered in-depth analysis on topics ranging from hybrid work arrangements and working from home, to virtual meetings and collaboration technology.
Adapting to new realities
The pandemic has completely upended the way Canadians approach work – where it takes place, how we meet, when we log on, and off – and much more. As a result, Canadian employers are learning to adapt to new realities while facing new expectations on workplace flexibility.
Staples Professional, the business-to-business division of Staples Canada, has supported mid-size to enterprise-level Canadian businesses, institutions, and governmental agencies and has a deep understanding of what they need to thrive.
In partnership with Angus Reid Group, Staples Professional surveyed office employees and senior decision-makers at businesses of all sizes across Canada to better understand the current and future landscape of work.
Understanding employers and employees
Sample Frame & Methodology
Tapping into both stakeholder groups
The Angus Reid Group was able to reach both employees and employers by engaging the Angus Reid Forum. The survey sample consisted of employees and senior decision-makers (employers) at companies/organizations with 5 employees or more:
- Employer sample: n=505
- Employee sample: n=1,010
The study was in field from August 15th to 24th, 2022, reaching over 1,500 Canadians with questions about their work, where the conduct that work, and how they see the future of work in Canada.
In light of major developments in the workplace owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, ARG had to incorporate significant new vocabulary and concepts into this research program, including working from home, hybrid work, virtual meetings, four-day work weeks, flex hours, and return to office incentives.
Want to learn more about our panel, the Angus Reid Forum?
The Angus Reid Forum
Results
The Future of Work Trend Report
Key findings from the Future of Work Trend Report include:
- Flexibility is key: It’s not just about the number of days spent in-office or at home: half of employees report they’d be much less likely to consider an employer if they didn’t offer flex hours. Furthermore, the study found that employees and employers alike were far less likely to accept a new role with no option for hybrid work.
- Productivity is a top concern returning to the office: 50% of remote/hybrid employees report concerns about being distracted and losing productivity going into the office, something which the study shows employers are underestimating.
- Home office set-ups are lacking: One-quarter of remote/hybrid employees report their workspace as simply adequate or poor, with many making do without employer supports.
- Incentives are being overlooked: Special perks, flexible in-office days and having a dedicated space free of distraction are the top three drivers bringing employees into the office, with only about half of employers offering incentives to encourage the return.
Read the Future of Work Trend Report
Download
Employees are carefully watching employers’ plans and policies around new modes of working – most employees say they’d be less likely to consider an employer if they don’t provide options for new modes of working (e.g.: remote, hybrid, flex hours, 4-day work-week).
Angus Reid Group's Demetre Eliopoulos participated in a panel discussion hosted by Canadian Business on the topic of remote work:
More Reading
Newswire
Staples Canada unveils the Future of Work Trend Report in partnership with the Angus Reid Group
October 28, 2022