For public relations executive Terance Brouse, the office is where creativity flows.

On Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, employees at Maverick PR work from the firm害羞草研究所檚 office 害羞草研究所� a converted red brick Victorian home in Toronto害羞草研究所檚 Annex neighbourhood.

害羞草研究所淲e come to the office on the same days because we need a quorum,害羞草研究所� said Brouse, the firm害羞草研究所檚 vice-president of client services. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 when the brainstorming and those 害羞草研究所榓ha害羞草研究所� moments happen.害羞草研究所�

On Thursdays and Fridays, employees work from home on different tasks. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 when we put our heads down to focus on writing and getting work done,害羞草研究所� he said.

Many companies are transitioning to hybrid work schedules from the work-from-home policies that developed by necessity in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Yet how to strike a balance between office life and remote work remains an enduring challenge for many businesses nearly three years after lockdowns upended how many Canadians work 害羞草研究所� one that害羞草研究所檚 made more difficult by the differing expectations between employers and employees.

Some organizations offer workers the freedom to choose which days they go into the office.

Others have a set number of office days, with attendance varying from informal guidelines to rigid mandates.

害羞草研究所淓veryone is trying to find that happy medium or that hybrid work sweet spot to make this really work,害羞草研究所� said Maria Pallas, director of strategy and optimization for Lauft, a network of on-demand workspaces.

害羞草研究所淏ut everyone害羞草研究所檚 not always on the same page.害羞草研究所�

Indeed, new research has uncovered a disconnect between employee work preferences and the expectations of employers.

A survey by Cisco Canada released Thursday suggests that while employees increasingly expect flexibility, employers continue to see hybrid work arrangements as a perk.

The poll, conducted by Angus Reid in December, found that 81 per cent of Canadian workers want a flexible work arrangement 害羞草研究所� and are willing to leave their current job to get it.

In fact, flexibility emerged as a top priority among workers polled, second only to salary.

But the survey found that the majority of employers were tightening hybrid work policies and ushering in mandatory office days.

The research illustrates a gap between employee and employer expectations as work is redefined in the post-pandemic era.

害羞草研究所淎t the highest level, there害羞草研究所檚 satisfaction overall with hybrid work amongst both employees and employers,害羞草研究所� said Shannon Leininger, president of Cisco Canada.

害羞草研究所淏ut when we dig into the numbers, there害羞草研究所檚 a tension between the expectations of employees and employers,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淓mployers feel like hybrid work is a benefit. Employees feel like it害羞草研究所檚 expected.害羞草研究所�

Workers seem to be resisting the transition back to offices for two main reasons: time and money.

Canadians who work from home save an average of 65 minutes a day normally spent commuting, research published last month by the U.S. National Bureau of Economic Research found.

For workers in bigger cities, remote work can sometimes shave as much as three hours off a work day 害羞草研究所� time experts say can instead be spent on health and wellness, time with family and other activities that support a strong work-life balance.

害羞草研究所淲e know now what it害羞草研究所檚 like to be able to work a full work day and still be able to drop off kids at school and do a load of laundry,害羞草研究所� said Andrea Bartlett, vice-president of people at Humi, a company that offers an integrated HR services platform.

害羞草研究所淥nce people have experienced that flexibility, it害羞草研究所檚 hard to take it away.害羞草研究所�

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The Cisco survey found that women are more likely than men to value flexibility, with 59 per cent of women saying flexibility and choice in how, when and where they work was a top priority, compared with 51 per cent of men.

害羞草研究所淲hat I repeatedly hear from women is this feeling that I no longer have to choose between my family and my career,害羞草研究所� Pallas said. 害羞草研究所淚 can do both. I can do well at my job and handle my responsibilities and serve my clients but 害羞草研究所� I can be home with my family for dinner. I can pick up my kid from soccer practice.害羞草研究所�

Meanwhile, workers report saving thousands of dollars a year working from home, saving money on everything from coffee and lunches to parking and transit.

Research by Cisco released last year found that employees saved $11,100 annually on average working in a hybrid model.

To address the rising cost of living, some companies have considered offering workers a commuting stipend as part of a return-to-office mandate, Bartlett said.

害羞草研究所淪ome people left the city because the cost of housing just skyrocketed. What do you do if you害羞草研究所檙e mandating workers back to the office but an employee who used to live downtown now lives in Aurora?害羞草研究所� she said, referring to a town about an hour north of downtown Toronto.

While a company may have the legal right to determine where an employee works, the shortage of workers has empowered workers to have a greater say over their work arrangements.

害羞草研究所淲e have a tight labour force market,害羞草研究所� Leininger with Cisco said. 害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 a heightened demand for skills 害羞草研究所� organizations that offer a hybrid model with more flexibility and choice will reap the greatest benefits.害羞草研究所�

While one of the downfalls of mandating office days could be losing workers, experts say there are also risks to not having face time with colleagues.

害羞草研究所淔rom an employer害羞草研究所檚 perspective, there could be concerns about a loss of learning through osmosis if everyone is at home,害羞草研究所� Bartlett said. 害羞草研究所淭hey might also be concerned that employees are less connected to what the business is trying to do.害羞草研究所�

Experts say finding the right hybrid work schedule ultimately comes down to what works best for both an organization and individual workers.

害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檒l be some trial and error,害羞草研究所� Pallas said. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e figuring things out as we go. We害羞草研究所檙e still in the dust-settling phase of a very abrupt and rapid change.害羞草研究所�

Leininger admits she害羞草研究所檚 made some missteps.

害羞草研究所淲e don害羞草研究所檛 have it all figured out. I害羞草研究所檝e certainly made mistakes in my hybrid work model,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淵ou need to experiment, course-correct and then try something different.害羞草研究所�

Brett Bundale, The Canadian Press

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