Page 29 - FDI Alliance International Magazine. Spring 2021 Digital Interactive Issue

the sense of innovation, collaboration and
corporate culture of the physical workplace.
This approach seems to be the one that
Google prefers: CEO Sundar Pichai recently
told Forbes Magazine that “We firmly believe
that in-person, being together, having a
sense of community is super important
when you have to solve hard problems and
create something new so we don’t see that
changing. But we do think we need to create
more flexibility and more hybrid models.”

In this hybrid model where we’re still expected
to make occasional trips to the office, it
makes sense that workers are going to be
looking for nearby communities that offer
affordability, a range of housing types,
and lifestyle amenities but are still located
within a reasonable commute of downtown
business centres. US Postal Service change-
for homes with dens or flex spaces where include both remote and face-to-face classes, of-address data reveals that the six most
they can create home offices. These types along with “hybrid” options that will see some popular destinations for people moving out
of homes tend to sell much quicker and for students sitting in a classroom while others of San Francisco are other Bay area suburbs
higher prices.” participate remotely. such as Alameda and San Mateo rather than
moving to more remote locations.
“Some students feel like they’re missing
angl WILL WE EVER GO BACK TO out on the ‘university experience’ with The same trends will likely hold in other
THE OFFICE? remote learning”, says Marlyn Graziano, metropolitan areas such as Metro Vancouver.
Vice President, External Affairs at Kwantlen For example, approximately 65% of Maple
How long and if the “work from anywhere” Polytechnic University. “It’s the hands-on Ridge residents already commute outside
model lasts is still an open question, and not learning opportunities, the impromptu of the community, including many white-
all jobs can be done remotely. Manufacturing, conversations with instructors and other collar workers who were commuting daily
construction and skilled trades are obvious students, the sense of collaboration and to downtown Vancouver pre-pandemic. “I
examples where working from home isn’t being part of something bigger that they’re think Maple Ridge is ideally situated in this
really an option. new world of hybrid workplaces,” says Wendy
missing. There is definitely a place for remote
People are social creatures by nature and the learning in our future, but some students are Dupley, Director of Economic Development
for the City of Maple Ridge. “We live in this
physical work place does have advantages not looking forward to returning to the classroom.” incredible place; it’s an affordable, family-
easily replaced by technology. Collaboration, oriented community that is surrounded by
communication and team building are stronger angl IS A HYBRID MODEL THE BEST nature and great recreational opportunities,
and happen more naturally in person than OF BOTH WORLDS? but it’s still within commuting distance of the
on Zoom. New research from Wharton big city. If you can work from anywhere, this
School highlights that while productivity Many companies are now wondering how is definitely the place you want to be.”
has remained stable for most organizations they can maintain the productivity gains and
that switched to work-from home models cost efficiencies of the work-from-anywhere
during the pandemic, it has come at a cost model while keeping the collaboration,
to innovation and collaboration, which the innovation and corporate culture of the
researchers suggest has suffered a decline physical workplace.
during the pandemic.
One solution that seems to be gaining
Post secondary education is providing an traction is the “hybrid model”, where workers
interesting case study on how this dynamic are blending work-from-home with regularly WENDY DUPLEY, EC.D
could play out. scheduled trips to the office. This approach DIRECTOR
preserves the gains in productivity from the
Early in the pandemic, colleges and universities work-from-anywhere model while fostering map-
rapidly switched to on-line teaching—a model
that many of them have been using, even 11995 Haney Place, Maple
if in a limited capacity, for several years. Ridge, BC V2X 6A9
The financial benefits of this change for
students seemed obvious: students would phon
save money by not having to live on campus; 604-467-7319 | 604 340 9453
pre-recorded lectures would give students
more flexibility to secure part-time work; glob
and on-line learning materials promised to mapleridge.ca
be cheaper than textbooks.

However, the lure of campus life is still strong
for many students, and it is likely that the
future for post-secondary institutions will

29. FDI ALLIANCE INTERNATIONAL