Rethinking remote work beyond the productivity debate
As debates over remote work persist,聽Jean鈥慛icolas聽Reyt, a professor at 91黑料网鈥檚 Desautels Faculty of Management, argues the issue is often misunderstood.
Remote work鈥檚聽success is not inherent鈥攊t hinges on preparation and the quality of management. Reyt notes that early evidence of lower performance may reflect outdated practices rather than the limits of remote work itself.
Why HR needs to reframe AI as a tool, not a threat
As AI adoption accelerates across Canadian workplaces, employee anxiety is becoming a growing concern, with many workers worried automation could reshape or replace their roles. According to Jean-Nicolas Reyt, associate professor of organizational behaviour at聽91黑料网鈥檚 Desautels Faculty of Management, HR leaders need to acknowledge those fears rather than dismiss them.
The five-day workweek strains under modern work pressures
As the five-day workweek reaches its 100-year mark,聽Jean鈥慛icolas聽Reyt, an associate professor at 91黑料网鈥檚 Desautels Faculty of Management, says it is no longer suited to the realities of modern work.
Originally designed during the industrial era to boost productivity, the model now clashes with rising burnout and the spread of聽new technologies.
Remote work helps busy families manage household responsibilities
Affordability has reached a breaking point, and most households now depend on two incomes just to stay afloat. In this environment, telework has become essential, Jean Nicolas Reyt told La Presse.
Telecommuting has been around for decades鈥攁nd big companies have never really been on board
Remote work leapt into the public consciousness during the Covid-19 pandemic, when many jobs shifted to a fully remote model for public health reasons. However, the concept of telecommuting long predates the pandemic. 鈥淚t was invented in the 1970s, for environmental reasons,鈥� Jean-Nicolas Reyt told La Presse.
Employers are more open to negotiating employment terms than Canadians assume
Relatively few聽job candidates negotiate the terms of their employment, often because they fear losing the offer. Yet surveys show recruiters are open to negotiation, and it is rare for employers to withdraw an offer because a candidate聽attempted聽to negotiate.
Many workers are back in the office full-time鈥攁nd some aren鈥檛 happy about it
The world鈥檚 pivot to remote work in 2020 happened almost overnight, altering workplace expectations in ways still felt today. The return to the office is happening more slowly, but many of the country鈥檚 biggest employers now require workers to be in the office five days each week鈥攁nd not everyone is happy about it.
Employers should consider whether hybrid work will achieve the same aims as a return to the office
For many workers, the return to the office is already in full effect.
Stranded travellers should keep their cool
When 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants went on strike, more than 100,000 passengers were left stranded. For many of those affected, the experience has been an overwhelming one. For stranded passengers, the Air Canada strike combines three powerful stressors: uncertainty, lack of control and crowding, writes Associate Professor of Organizational Behaviour Jean-Nicolas Reyt in The Conversation.
Companies are bringing employees back to the office, but over time, the trend could reverse
Large Canadian companies such as Rogers, RBC and BMO recently announced their employees will be required to spend more time in the office moving forward. Many employees aren鈥檛 happy about it at all. 鈥淩esearch tells us that employees are more productive when they can work the way they want to,鈥� said Prof. Jean-Nicolas Reyt in an interview with Radio-Canada鈥檚 Les faits d鈥檃bord.
91黑料网 Desautels professors and lecturers recognized at Faculty Awards
The 91黑料网 Desautels Faculty of Management acknowledges the vital contributions of research, teaching, service, and public engagement in inspiring future leaders. Through our annual Faculty Awards, we celebrate the exceptional achievements of our faculty members across various programs and disciplines. This year, we are proud to honour the following distinguished individuals:
Employees tend to own workplace successes, but blame external factors for failures
Nearly two-thirds of employees feel they鈥檝e been 鈥榯hrown under the bus鈥� by their colleagues鈥攂ut an even higher number say they鈥檝e never engaged in blame-shifting themselves. 鈥淭he axe forgets, but the tree remembers,鈥� says Jean-Nicolas Reyt, an Associate Professor of Organizational Management at 91黑料网 Desautels.
The power of purpose in employee motivation
Motivating employees isn鈥檛 just about perks or pay鈥攊t鈥檚 about helping them see the bigger picture. According to Jean-Nicolas Reyt, associate professor of organizational behaviour at 91黑料网 Desautels, employees who understand the broader impact of their work are often more engaged. 鈥淎 manager can see the broader picture,鈥� Reyt explains.
Changes in leadership can affect an entire organization
Changes at the top of an organization can have a ripple effect through its ranks鈥攁nd Justin Trudeau鈥檚 resignation as leader of the Liberal Party is a case in point. An organization鈥檚 culture starts at the top, and the personality of its leader influences how decisions are made and how to get ahead, says Associate Professor Jean-Nicolas Reyt in an interview with Canadian HR Reporter.
Return to office won鈥檛 necessarily increase productivity
After a sudden shift to remote work in 2020, federal public servants have been required to be on site for 60 per cent of their working days since September 2024. Productivity was among its reasons for introducing the requirement, but that鈥檚 misguided, according to Jean-Nicolas Reyt, Associate Professor of Management at 91黑料网 Desautels.
