Canadians want an official national day to work from home. Over 20,000 votes
were recently recorded in a Workopolis homepage poll on the idea, and more than
80 percent of people voiced their support. Read some of the numerous readers’ comments on our original blog post.

As Canada’s online career resource, Workopolis wants to help. So, let’s make
it happen: sign our online
petition to support the National Work from Home Day. Once
we’ve got enough momentum, we’ll approach an MP to introduce legislation that
could make National Work from Home Day the law of the land.

The timing couldn’t be better. A recent study has indicated that Canadians find
themselves with less and less leisure time to spend with their families or in
pursuit of their other interests outside of work.

Our goal is that by making Work from Home Day an established date on the
calendar, more and more workplaces will embrace the idea. There are numerous
clear benefits to telecommuting for the employer, for the employee, for families
and for the environment. Often the main hurdle is just in making the cultural
shift.

Having the Canadian government officially recognize the advantages of working
from home will help spread the discussion to more and more organizations.
Working from home significantly improves productivity, enables
businesses to be more competitive, and enhances employee retention by offering
them greater work-life balance. Telecommuting also helps the environment by
alleviating slow-moving highway congestion as fewer people have to commute in
rush hour traffic. In fact, taking those people off the congested roads even
contributes to greater employee safety.

Working from home can be a refreshing change from being in the office.
Instead of water cooler chats, you can chat with your family. Instead of braving
a spirit-shattering commute, you get an extra hour in bed. Instead of fretting
about whether that belt goes with those shoes, you can just stay in your
pyjamas. And all the while, you’re saving the environment.

Show your boss just how much you can get done without enduring the commute
for a day. Support our Facebook
initiative, and keep your fingers crossed. Canada may get
its own National Work from Home Day.

–Peter Harris

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