--- title: The Evolution of Teleworking and Hybrid Policies in the Canadian Government Post-COVID-19  description: "Canada's post-COVID shift to hybrid work models: Prof. Eric Champagne's study on government telework policies, challenges faced, and the anticipated future" image: https://collabzium.com/hubfs/Telework.jpg --- [![FAC_SOCIAL_SCIENCE_HEADER_BAR](https://collabzium.com/hubfs/FAC_SOCIAL_SCIENCE_HEADER_BAR.svg "FAC_SOCIAL_SCIENCE_HEADER_BAR")](https://www.uottawa.ca/faculty-social-sciences/) [![Collabzium](https://collabzium.com/hubfs/CollabziumLogoEnglish(Name)-COLOUR.svg "Collabzium")](https://collabzium.com/) - Articles - [Collabzium Guide](https://collabzium.com/en/articles/author/collabzium-guide) - [All articles](https://collabzium.com/en/articles) - Research - [Chairs and Labs](https://collabzium.com/en/chair-and-labs) - [About](https://collabzium.com/collabcrew) [Subscribe](https://20500402.hubspotpagebuilder.com/subscribe-now) [Subscribe](https://20500402.hubspotpagebuilder.com/subscribe-now) [Political Science](https://collabzium.com/en/articles/tag/political-science),[Public and International Affairs](https://collabzium.com/en/articles/tag/public-and-international-affairs) # The Evolution of Teleworking and Hybrid Policies in the Canadian Government Post-COVID-19 [![Eric Champagne](https://collabzium.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Eric%20Champagne.jpg?width=32&height=32&name=Eric%20Champagne.jpg) Eric Champagne](https://collabzium.com/en/articles/author/eric-champagne) calendar icon Aug 29, 2023 · Reading time 2 min read [mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https://collabzium.com/en/articles/the-evolution-of-teleworking-and-hybrid-policies-in-the-canadian-government-post-covid-19&utm_medium=social&utm_source=email%20&body=Check%20out%20https://collabzium.com/en/articles/the-evolution-of-teleworking-and-hybrid-policies-in-the-canadian-government-post-covid-19&utm_medium=social&utm_source=email](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https://collabzium.com/en/articles/the-evolution-of-teleworking-and-hybrid-policies-in-the-canadian-government-post-covid-19&utm_medium=social&utm_source=email%20&body=Check%20out%20https://collabzium.com/en/articles/the-evolution-of-teleworking-and-hybrid-policies-in-the-canadian-government-post-covid-19&utm_medium=social&utm_source=email) The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated changes in work models across the globe, and the Government of Canada was no exception. A recent study published in the Canadian Public Administration journal titled ["Government of Canada's teleworking and hybrid policies in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic"](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/capa.12520) co-authored by Professor [Eric Champagne](https://uniweb.uottawa.ca/?lang=fr#!/members/1402) [Olivier Choinière](https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivierchoiniere/?locale=en_US) and [Aracelly Denise Granja](https://www.linkedin.com/in/aracelly-denise-granja/?originalSubdomain=ca) provides an enlightening look at this transformation. ### Adapting to a New Normal As the pandemic unfolded, traditional work models were no longer viable due to public health concerns. The authors note, > the Government of Canada quickly adapted its teleworking policy, originally published in 1999, to respond to both the public health imperative but also workplace modernization in all sectors of the labour market. This shift marked a pivotal moment for public organizations as they found themselves navigating uncharted waters. ### Embracing the Virtual Workspace As the government transitioned towards remote work, many employees found themselves preferring the new virtual workspace. Reports from McKinsey & Company, Gartner Research, and Williams, cited by the authors, suggest a widespread adoption and preference for this novel mode of working. ### A Decentralized Approach and the Challenges When health measures started to ease, the Canadian Government opted for a decentralized approach, allowing "managerial latitude for deputy heads and their executives to develop their own return-to-work plans." However, with this new work model came a host of challenges including cybersecurity, IT infrastructure, staffing and promotion practices, and workplace design. The authors assert that this transition period "call\[ed\] for stronger links between the various communities (HR, digital, facilities, finance, etc.) to address these emerging challenges." ### Balancing Act: Workplace Presence By December 2022, the Government took a significant step, prescribing > a fixed percentage of workplace presence to implement across departments, aiming for equitable conditions. Despite resistance from employees and unions seeking more flexibility, the government remained steadfast in its decision. A Hybrid Future In conclusion, the authors state that while there is > no consensus on whether the decisions over telework arrangements should be taken centrally or decentralized to the department, organizational or even to the individual level, the landscape of government jobs is expected to adapt to the changing environment. They foresee the Government of Canada moving towards a hybrid workforce model. Despite some constraints, the authors believe that "the pandemic has had an undeniable impact, and we do not foresee a real possibility of a complete reversal." While the full implications of this shift are yet to be seen, the findings of this study provide a compelling snapshot of the ongoing transformations within the Canadian public sector and the future of work in a post-pandemic world. calendar icon Aug 29, 2023 · Reading time 2 min read [mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https://collabzium.com/en/articles/the-evolution-of-teleworking-and-hybrid-policies-in-the-canadian-government-post-covid-19&utm_medium=social&utm_source=email%20&body=Check%20out%20https://collabzium.com/en/articles/the-evolution-of-teleworking-and-hybrid-policies-in-the-canadian-government-post-covid-19&utm_medium=social&utm_source=email](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https://collabzium.com/en/articles/the-evolution-of-teleworking-and-hybrid-policies-in-the-canadian-government-post-covid-19&utm_medium=social&utm_source=email%20&body=Check%20out%20https://collabzium.com/en/articles/the-evolution-of-teleworking-and-hybrid-policies-in-the-canadian-government-post-covid-19&utm_medium=social&utm_source=email) --- [![Eric Champagne](https://collabzium.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Eric%20Champagne.jpg?width=100&height=100&name=Eric%20Champagne.jpg)](https://collabzium.com/en/articles/author/eric-champagne) ### [By Eric Champagne](https://collabzium.com/en/articles/author/eric-champagne) Eric Champagne is an Associate Professor of Public Administration at the School of Political Studies and Director of the Centre on Governance at the University of Ottawa. He teaches courses on public sector management and governance, program evaluation, public policy development, and globalization and continental integration. 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