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in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, F eb ru ar y 24 ,2 02 2 | 30 The COVID-19 pandem- ic has illustrated the im- portance of temporary mi- grant workers (TR), who gain entry to Canada through the so-called "low-skills" category. We now understand how cru- cial these workers are to our personal health and food security. But the lan- guage we use to label them is pejorative. Labels and language are important because they give shape to our ide- as, influence our imagina- tion and put a contour on abstract terminology. The labels of high skills and low skills are now neither accurate nor relevant be- cause we know that we need skills at all levels to sustain ourselves. There- fore, we need new lan- guage for new times. We need to pivot to thinking about essential skills and essential workers. We also need a perma- nent pathway to perma- nent residence (PR) for these workers and not force them to rely on tem- porary worker status. As the government TR-to-PR program proved, there is a lot of interest by essential workers. This is a senti- ment echoed by many Ca- nadians. According to a 2021 Na- nos Research poll com- missioned by myself and Sen. Rob Black, more than eight in 10 Canadians sup- port or somewhat support providing a way for tem- porary migrant workers to remain in Canada. They also fully understand and appreciate how important these workers are to the agricultural sector and putting food on our tables. The findings of this poll are similar to a much larg- er poll conducted by Envi- ronics that found that Ca- nadians today are much more appreciative of the essential work that mi- grants do. Offering migrant work- ers the option of applying for permanent residency would remove much of the vulnerability associated with temporary status, and the employers would benefit from having a workforce made up of mostly permanent resi- dents. Some of the work, such as animal produc- tion, food processing and greenhouse production, takes place on a year- round basis. This would also help employers main- tain a stable workforce without the need for annu- al expenditures on re- cruitment, transporta- tion, training, housing, le- gal and medical issues. In addition, the change would benefit workers by making it possible for them to migrate with their families to Canada. This will alleviate isolation, as well as help revitalize ru- ral communities with not one but clusters of fami- lies from the same com- munity. The Canadian govern- ment needs to act quickly to thank the contribution of these essential workers and open more pathways to permanency. It is not only the right thing to do it is also essential to health of our nation. The Honourable Ratna Omidvar is an indepen- dent Senator for Ontario. ESSENTIAL CHANGES FOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MUST OPEN MORE PATHWAYS TO PERMANENCY: SENATOR RATNA OMIDVAR Column Working from home, videoconferencing, relo- cation to different parts of the country -- the pan- demic has certainly shift- ed how, where and when many Canadians work. Employees have had to manage increased respon- sibilities and/or adjust to new forms of work ar- rangements, as some have been tasked with simulta- neously playing the role of employee, parent, chef and homeschool instructor. Recent research the Conference Board of Cana- da did in partnership with Carleton and Ryerson Uni- versity, "Remote, Office or Hybrid?" showed that as expected, COVID-19 has in- deed been a catalyst for change. Employee preferences regarding post-pandemic work arrangements vary widely, but results do show that most employ- ees prefer to continue working the way they did during the pandemic, which presents both chal- lenges and opportunities for employers and em- ployees alike. Working from home can be just as productive as working in an office and is highly valued by employ- ees, particularly as it facil- itates a better work-life balance for some. Remote work, where possible, will likely remain an option. Employers are adapting and allowing for flexible working arrangements to keep employees engaged and productive. Prior to the pandemic, many orga- nizations were resistant to flexible or remote work of- ferings. While some employees prefer in-person connec- tions and look forward to returning to conferences, events and travel with cli- ents and co-workers, still others are actively seeking out work-from-home op- tions when considering a job or career change. It is something employ- ers can offer to attract and retain talent and increase their search over a larger geographical area. This al- lows organizations to at- tract better prospective employees as they aren't limited to talent located in close proximity to the of- fice. Our CEO Dr. Susan Black, PhD, for example, has made the bold move of selling our head office, cre- ating a virtual-first organi- zation, which has resulted in a truly pan-Canadian or- ganization with re- presentation from almost all provinces in the coun- try. The ongoing pandemic has also affected the men- tal health and well-being of employees. Many Ca- nadians have reported anxiety, fatigue and a myriad mental health concerns as a result of the uncertainty, lockdowns and restrictions. This has resulted in some organi- zations offering en- hanced mental health benefits, while others tri- al four-day work weeks that improve employee flexibility. The Confer- ence Board of Canada is conducting important re- search on this topic and has exciting announce- ments coming soon. The workplace mea- sures that become perma- nent in a post-COVID world will become clearer as we navigate through re- strictions to recovery. It is those organizations that are able to effectively adapt to the ever-changing pandemic restrictions, while continuing to sup- port their employees, that will be in the best position to mitigate and manage the demands of the future. Lindsay Coffin is the Conference Board of Cana- da's senior research asso- ciate, human capital. Erin Mills is director, human capital and workplace health at the Conference Board of Canada REMOTE OR OFFICE WORK, COVID A 'CATALYST FOR CHANGE' OPINION: OUR CHANGED WORLD WORK-FROM-HOME OPTIONS LIKELY TO REMAIN POST PANDEMIC: CONFERENCE BOARD OF CANADA ERIN MILLS Column LINDSAY COFFIN Column