A new study released by Statistics Canada sheds light on questions around productivity of remote work, using supplementary questions added to the February 2021 Labour Force Survey. The focus is on new teleworkers, i.e., employees who usually worked outside the home before the COVID-19 pandemic but who worked most of their hours at home during the week of February 14 to 20, 2021.

Of all new teleworkers, 90% reported being at least as productive, i.e., accomplishing at least as much work per hour, at home as they were previously at their usual place of work.

More than half (58%) reported accomplishing about the same amount of work per hour, while roughly one-third (32%) reported accomplishing more work per hour. The remaining 10% mentioned that they accomplished less work per hour while working at home than they did previously at their usual place of work.

The likelihood of accomplishing more work per hour varied across industries. For example, the percentage of new teleworkers who reported doing more work per hour was relatively high in public administration (41%) and health care and social assistance (45%). In contrast, the corresponding percentage amounted to 31% in goods-producing industries.

While the vast majority of new teleworkers reported being at least as productive at home as they were in the past, several of them ended up working longer hours per day at home than they did at their usual place of work.

Large proportions of individuals who accomplish more work per hour (48%) and of individuals who do less work per hour (44%) reported working longer hours per day than they did in the past.

Furthermore, virtually none of the workers who accomplish at least as much work per hour at home as they did previously now work shorter hours per day.

Overall, 35% of all new teleworkers reported working longer hours, with managers doing so in greater proportions (51%). In contrast, 3% of all new teleworkers reported working shorter hours.

The degree to which these longer hours affect family–work balance and the extent to which they will persist once the COVID-19 pandemic is over remain to be seen.