Looking back 48 months, HR consultant Gerald Walsh says it’s hard to believe everything that happened when COVID-19 was officially declared a pandemic by the government. who March 11, 2020.
“When I woke up one morning and heard that the NBA canceled the rest of the season, you know I knew this was serious,” Walsh said.
Although the NBA, like other professional and amateur sports, eventually returned to normal, things were far from normal in March 2020.
Vaccines and face masks suddenly became part of mainstream culture.
Shoppers lined up outside stores, sometimes for hours. Once inside, they followed strict instructions, but sometimes encountered empty shelves and low-stock items.
Schools were closed and students learned from home.
The majority of Canadian employees were suddenly faced with the new reality of working from home.
Walsh said the pandemic has recalibrated the way Canadians work.
According to Statistics Canada, in 2016, 7% of Canada’s workforce worked from home.
That number jumped to 40% in April 2020 during the first wave of coronavirus restrictions.
Almost two years later, that percentage had dropped to 30%.
As of November 2023, 20% of Canadians are still working from home. Although a significant decrease, it is still almost triple the pre-pandemic level.
Working from home has also led to changes in technology that are felt around the world.
“We already had Skype, Zoom was starting to come out, and we had conferencing apps like Slack,” Walsh said. “However, this has accelerated the development of these platforms, and much of our business in office environments now uses the technology.”
Small business owner Lara Cousson doesn’t look back fondly on the impact the pandemic has had on her life and career.
“We’re done. We’re going to forget about this issue,” Cusson said. He continues to see frustration leveled at all levels of government over its response to the pandemic. “Since that day, I think small business owners have been in survival mode.”
COVID-19 closures and restrictions have led to an explosion of big-box stores and online commerce, fueling shopping activity.
However, small independent businesses and cafes like Cusson’s were facing an existential crisis.
“During this time, there have been numerous closures of small businesses and organizations across Canada,” Cousson said, adding that independent business owners are struggling to repay government loans and deal with higher interest rates than before the pandemic. .
