At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) had to rapidly adapt to limit disruption to its routine activities and operations. The CAF shifted from a nearly exclusively in-person posture to one relying heavily on remote work. Though the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the functioning of the CAF will subside, it would be imprudent to revert entirely to the pre-pandemic in-person posture. This was the premise of the original study, the abbreviated results of which will be presented herein.[1] The needs and interests of three distinct groups are considered: the CAF as an institution, the member, and their family. The overall findings suggest that increased retention and recruitment, and work-life balance (WLB) and stability can all be improved by leveraging telecommuting.

Telecommuting: Nothing New

            Telecommuting dates back to the 1970s. It has been adapted to a number of sectors, demonstrating that many types of work can be completed outside the workplace, traditionally conceived, while realizing a number of personal and organizational benefits.[2] Other western militaries had also successfully adopted flexible work practices prior to the pandemic, to include New Zealand, Australia, and Germany. Historically, strong attendance bias existed in the CAF, largely prioritizing physical presence over outputs, resulting in resistance to the very premise of telecommuting. When work needed to continue, overnight, it began being conducted offsite, largely proving the feasibility of remote work for select tasks. The fact that this was also done on an ad hoc basis before, and was widely used throughout the pandemic, compels examination into whether remote work should be accepted as standard practice in the military. Two options are tabled for consideration: partial telework, where work from home is intermixed with onsite attendance, and remote work, where the standing place of work is offsite.

A Desire for Greater Flexibility

            In his opening keynote address of the 2021 KCIS conference, Canadian Chief of the Defence Staff General Wayne Eyre stressed that “meeting the challenges of the future will require an even more diverse and representative Armed Forces.”[3] To attain such a target, a broad audience must view the CAF as an appealing and relevant employer. This demands the CAF be supportive of prospective members and their families alongside the maintenance of its organizational priorities, to remain competitive with the private sector and the public service. It is necessary that the CAF adapts itself to a changing workforce. In this regard, a recent study indicated that three-quarters of Canadians are interested in telecommuting more than they currently do.[4] The availability of such flexible practices to support WLB is recognized as a desirable attribute, and one linked to workforce recruitment.[5] In line with these findings, work-life imbalance is the most significant grievance identified by CAF members and families.[6] Both a 1978 and 2013 study found that geographic relocations are the most challenging aspect of the CAF lifestyle.[7] They position institutional demands well ahead of personal preferences. The implementation of remote work for suitable positions could reduce the frequency of relocations, alleviating much of this stress.

Cost-Saving Considerations

            In addition to improving WLB, significant cost-savings could be realized through the elimination of a move. The average cost for in-Canada relocations in 2020/2021 was determined to be $44,747, with two years of Imposed Restriction (where the member moves unaccompanied, leaving their family behind at the former location) being similar.[8] Rather than relocating members and their families to a new place of duty, remote work could constitute an alternative, with periodic bouts of Temporary Duty to allow for in-person opportunities. This arrangement, with regular trips over a typical two-year posting, is anticipated to cost roughly half that of a move, while still allowing for occasional in-person engagement as required.[9]

Among other financial considerations, minimizing the frequency of relocations reduces disruption to spousal employment, which affects the family’s total income. Further, partial telework offers cost-savings to the member by reducing commuting expenses, and may benefit the CAF through reduced overall infrastructure requirements. Even this cursory analysis of factors tied to making telecommuting available to CAF members reveals that it would largely advantage all parties, despite some challenges and potential drawbacks. Further, the institution would benefit from improved preparedness for future similar crises, if already intentionally positioned to work offsite.

Steps toward Implementation

            Should the CAF choose to formalize the continuation of telecommuting practice beyond the pandemic, a purposeful plan must be implemented. It goes without saying that not all jobs can be done offsite. Thus, the first step in implementation must be to assess every position to determine which are “telecommutable.” Next, individual suitability to work autonomously from an alternate location must be assessed. Past performance evaluation reports and supervisor recommendation can readily form the basis for this determination. Despite the potential advantages, one must respect that working from home is not for everyone; challenges may exist in one’s family circumstance or in the creation of a suitable home office. Some individuals may actually suffer increased burnout if forced into a remote work posture, thereby negating many of the anticipated benefits.[10] Consequently, telecommuting should only be considered at the request of a member who is deemed suitable and occupies a “telecommutable” position.

Conclusion

            One of the principles of CAF military personnel management is flexibility, and the basic tenet of “one size does not fit all” is underscored in doctrine.[11] Strong, Secure, Engaged Initiative 6 further directs “a comprehensive review of conditions of service and career paths to allow much more personalized career choices and flexibility.”[12] The proposed telecommuting strategy is a tangible way for the institution to uphold its commitment to support its personnel and their unique circumstances, while maintaining operational readiness.

The genie is out of the bottle, and both current members and future recruits have seen that working offsite is indeed feasible. It would behoove the CAF to capitalize on the institutional inertia thrust upon it. While the rapid transition forced on the organization is not the model for enduring application, one must accept that there are substantial benefits to be gleaned from the practice. Formal implementation of telecommuting will aid the CAF in coming back from the pandemic stronger, better, and more supportive of its members.

Major Stephanie LeBlanc is an Army Logistics officer, currently employed as the Senior Aide-de-Camp to the Governor General of Canada. She is a recent graduate of the Joint Command and Staff Programme where she wrote her thesis on the topic of the deliberate implementation of remote working in the Canadian Armed Forces. She holds a Master in Defence Studies from the Royal Military College of Canada and a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Humanitarian Studies from Royal Roads University.

Endnotes

[1] Stephanie LeBlanc, “Post-Pandemic Potential: Deliberate Implementation of Telecommuting to Support Member, Family and CAF Interests” (master’s thesis, Canadian Forces College, 2021), https://www.cfc.forces.gc.ca/259/290/23/286/LeBlanc.pdf. The original study analyzed an array of interdisciplinary factors, arranged into five overarching themes. These include financial, environmental consequences, health impacts, productivity and time management, and organizational culture, ethos, and relationships. The examination of the financial perspective is the only theme highlighted in this KCIS Insight.

[2] Yehuda Baruch, “The Status of Research on Teleworking and an Agenda for Future Research,” International Journal of Management Reviews 3, no. 2 (2001): 114, https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-2370.00058.

[3] Wayne Eyre, “Opening Keynote: Adapting Training, Operations and Partnerships,” KCIS, November 2, 2021, video, 27:16, https://youtu.be/rw3iD_fNknE.

[4] “Employees in Canada Share Views on Current and Post-Pandemic Workplace,” Robert Half, May 1, 2020, https://www.roberthalf.ca/en/employees-in-canada-share-views-on-current-and-post-pandemicworkplace.

[5] Chris Higgins, Linda Duxbury, and Sean Lyons, Reducing Work–Life Conflict: What Works? What Doesn’t? (Ottawa: Health Canada, 2007), 33, https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/hc-sc/migration/hc-sc/ewh-semt/alt_formats/hecs-sesc/pdf/pubs/occup-travail/balancing-equilibre/full_report-rapport_complet-eng.pdf.

[6] CAF Community Needs Assessment 2016 Overall Results (Winnipeg: Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services, 2017), 91, https://www.cfmws.com/en/AboutUs/MFS/FamilyResearch/Documents/2016%20CNA%20Results/CAF%20CNA%202016%20REPORT%20-%20OVERALL%20RESULTS.pdf.

[7] Michael W. Baker, “An Exploratory Study Identifying Hardships Confronting Canadian Military Families” (master’s thesis, University of Manitoba, 1978), 13; Pierre Daigle, On the Homefront: Assessing the Well-Being of Canada's Military Families in the New Millennium (Ottawa: Office of the Ombudsman, 2013), 4.

[8] Department of National Defence, GC Doc No. 30915977, Cost Factors Manual 2020-2021: Personnel Costs Chapter (Ottawa: DND Canada, 2020), 19; Compensation and Benefit Instructions: Chapter 208 – Relocation Benefits (Ottawa: 2021), table to CBI 208.997, https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/dnd-mdn/documents/reports/2020/cbi-208-2021-04-01.pdf.

[9] LeBlanc, “Post-Pandemic Potential,” 50.

[10] Rahil Meymandpour and Zahra Bagheri, “A Study of Personality Traits, Viz., Extraversion and Introversion on Telecommuters Burnout,” Telecom Business Review 10, no. 1 (2017): 5.

[11] Department of National Defence, B-GL-005-100/FP-001, CFJP 1.0 Military Personnel Management Doctrine (Ottawa: DND Canada, 2008), 3-2, https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2010/forces/D2-252-100-2008-eng.pdf.

[12] Department of National Defence, Strong, Secure, Engaged, 22, https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2017/mdn-dnd/D2-386-2017-eng.pdf.

Published: Feb 16, 2022