Hybrid work wars gain momentum as NS workers resist office pressure

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Deadline for thousands Nova Scotia civil servants were told to return to the office more than two weeks ago, but after years of working from home, many have abandoned the idea, both non-union workers who were first told to return and union workers who have not yet been forced to return.

In August, the Nova Scotia government issued an internal memo saying non-union employees were expected to return to the office full-time by Oct. 15. The directive came as a shock to many who worked remotely for three days a year. a week for several years. The province has 3,500 non-union employees, making up about a third of the workforce.

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But the province is not saying how many people complied with the order.

“Managers are discussing this directive directly with their employees, as they have been asked, and we are not aware of any incidents at this time,” said Jeff Tobin, a spokesman for the Nova Scotia Public Service Commission. “For some, this means significant change. Staff retain some level of flexibility. We will continue to support our employees throughout this adjustment period.”

In 2015, the province introduced a program that provided employees of various departments with the opportunity work from home. The broader program was rolled out in 2020 during the pandemic.

One employee, who wished to remain anonymous to protect her identity, said she complied with the order after working from home for several years. But she said being able to work three days a week from home had helped her mental health and improved her condition. work-life balance and made her more productive. She also saved money by not having to commute to work, which she said is true for many of her colleagues.

“For the majority of people affected, remote working has not changed anything in terms of work,” she said. “I would say that most of us worked longer hours and were more willing to respond to requests outside of normal business hours to show how much we valued flexibility.”

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One of the reasons the government has ordered people back to the office is to improve the work environment and collaboration, but the woman said nothing has changed.

“In the office, all of our meetings remain virtual or have a virtual option,” she said, adding that some employees are calling in because they are in another office or have not yet received a call back.

“Having to commute back and forth to work, which costs money and, more importantly, time that we’re not compensated for, to just sit at a desk and participate in virtual meetings all day just doesn’t make a lot of sense,” she said. “People are struggling to heat their homes and put food on the table. Government employees are no exception.”

She also believes that government officials are being called because there are elections going on. Prime Minister Tim Houston has called early elections for October 27.

“I can only speculate… but the time will come,” she said.

Twila Grosse, the Nova Scotia minister responsible for the Public Service Commission, said in August that employees were ordered to return for three reasons: managers had problems managing employees in different locations, and new hires needed help with training and developing relationships with coworkers.

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Rafael Gomez, professor of labor relations at University of Torontosaid the province is actually changing the conditions for employees who have been working from home for so long. With this in mind, employers should provide advance notice or consider increasing wages.

“This is where good management, good people management means let’s make compromises,” he said.

This could include differences in pay, he said. Someone who wants to work from home when the employer believes they are more valuable in the office may get paid less, while someone who comes to the office and pays to travel to work may get more.

“It would be a better approach to management and would mean less conflict (and) you would probably have a more motivated workforce,” Gomez said.

There are various problems outside of government.

“The private sector is facing enormous pressure from staff turnover,” he said. “People were just saying, ‘I’ll just get another job somewhere else.’ It was difficult for employers to navigate.”

If people leave, replacing them will cost money and you could lose skills, Gomez says.

“If I think they’re talented and I can’t find someone better, I have to incentivize them to come back or disincentivize those who want to stay home,” he said.

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Many employers, including the federal government, which in September required its employees to return to the office three days a week, have opted to split the workweek between the office and home—a hybrid approach that makes sense when work isn’t getting done. personally rather than painting boats, teaching high school, or being a nurse.

Eventually, Gomez said, governments and other employers will likely have to accept the reality of hybrid work.

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