The dispute last year between the federal Treasury Board and the Public Service Alliance of Canada over remote work arrangements raised a lot of questions about a one-size-fits-all approach. Those questions need answering.

Working remotely seemingly offers clear benefits to public sector employees and government organizations alike by raising productivity, speeding up connectivity and improving work-life balance.

Remote work can also improve motivation, performance and job satisfaction by giving workers more autonomy in how they go about their jobs. But there are also concerns that the benefits may dwindle over time due to the changes it causes in relationships between employees and organizations and workplace motivation. Potential downsides and costs must be weighed against any benefits.

A question that was likely absent from last year’s contract negotiations — if only because the empirical evidence is sparse and inconclusive — is how remote work will affect public service motivation, a particular drive that leads many people to jobs and careers in government or other public sector organizations like hospitals and universities.

Evidence shows that motivation in the workplace is influenced by the extent of interpersonal interactions, especially with those who benefit from the services employees are providing. So what happens when remote work arrangements start to erode those instrumental relationships that help sustain the public service motivation that drives public servants to work each day?

There are many potential benefits of remote work, though the empirical evidence is still a bit sparse. A recently published literature review found that remote work may improve job satisfaction, lower absenteeism and reduce on-the-job distractions.

But these benefits largely depend on how remote work is designed — in........

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