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VIRTUALWORK IS HERE:A G U I D E F O RY O U T H

ABOUT THE CANADIAN COUNCIL FOR YOUTHPROSPERITY The Canadian Council for Youth Prosperity is a non-profitorganization supporting youth workforce development in Canada. We are a cross-sector, collaborative table of highly-skilledcommunity and corporate leaders improving the sector throughengagement, coordinated activities, research, and advocacy. ABOUT THE TAMARACK INSTITUTE The Tamarack Institute develops and supports collaborativestrategies that engage citizens and institutions to solve majorcommunity issues. When we are effective in strengtheningcommunity capacity to engage citizens, lead collaboratively,deepen community and reduce poverty, our work contributes to the building of peace and a more equitable society. Authors Lina PulidoMiranda NewmanChelsea WardDesignerVictoria DvorskyRelease date: June 2020This guide is an adaption of the Tamarack Institute's Remote Guide.

2 0 2 0 VIRTUAL WORK IS HERE: A GUIDE FOR YOUTH GUIDE OVERVIEW

H O W T OF O S T E RP O S I T I V ER E L A T I O N S H I P SI N V I R T U A LW O R K S E T T I N G S Virtual Work is Here: A Guide for Youth includes interviews withemployers who are new to and some that are experienced in managing avirtual workforce. These interviews will better equip employers new toremote work with the tools they need.H O W T O S E TE X P E C T A T I O N SW I T H V I R T U A LW O R KE M P L O Y E E SH O W T OE F F E C T I V E L YO N B O A R DV I R T U A L L Y H O W T O G I V EV I R T U A LF E E D B A C K T OY O U T HE M P L O Y E E S ,A N D M O R EFor EmployersVirtual Work is Here: A Guide for Youth also provides valuablesupport to employers. Throughout the guide, employers whoare considering hiring virtual positions or transitioning to avirtual workforce will find tips about effectively managingemployees who are working virtually. Employer advice covers: Employment service professionals who are helping youth navigate this period ofeconomic uncertainty can turn to the guide as a valuable resource for equippingyouth with the skills and the tools for working virtually. The guide is written to helpyouth explore their career options, learn successful job strategies, and provide virtualwork-specific advice. Virtual Work is Here: A Guide for Youth is a user-friendlyresource for youth and those seeking to support them in navigating the new world ofwork across the country. With opportunities for virtual work on the rise, and a youth workforce vulnerable toeconomic shifts, this guide is a resource for youth, employers, and employmentservice professionals currently transitioning to virtual work, as well as those thatmay consider it in the future or in the long term. It will outline how to ensure successand productivity, mitigate transitions, and support career development while aimingto start a conversation about how to best work virtually.

35671013182234 Quick Tips: Having kids at home during COVID-19Quick Tips: Technology

TechnologyAdaptabilityFreedomWork-Life Balance50% of respondentsW H Y A D J U S T I N G T O V I R T U A L W O R K I SI M P O R T A N T T O Y O U T H & E M P L O Y E R S 6

7Virtual Work Resources section

8GlassdoorIndeed

Preparing forthe Interview Regardless of howyou learn of a virtualopportunity, the nextstep is to research thecompany that’soffering the role.When it comes timefor your interview, thehiring manager(s) willlikely be interested inhearing about whyyou want to work withthem. ReviewIndeed.com's tipsheet about what elseto do before yourinterview 9Tapping into yournetworks Up to 85 per cent of all jobs are filled vianetworking. This is because most peopletend to conduct business with peoplethey know, like, and trust. Traditionally, networking takes placeduring in-person events or one-on-onecoffee chats. With virtual work,networking can be done from anywherein the world. Consider followingshiftworkplace.com's guide on virtualnetworking for a job.

10Virtual HUMAN RESOURCE Practices You’ve done it! You’ve secured your firstvirtual role. Whether this is your first job ornot, beginning a virtual job or contract canbe significantly different from an in-personjob. Here are some tips that can help youbegin onboarding:

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$12LEARN YOUR LABOUR RIGHTS The Government of Canada has implemented a number oflegislative acts to ensure the rights of employees working withinfederal jurisidiction in this country including The CanadianHuman Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination and includesThe Duty to Accomodate; The Employment Equity Act, whichprovides equal opportunities to women, Indigenous people,people with disabilities, and visibile minorities; and The CanadianLabour Code, which governs workplace health and safety,employment standards, and industrial relations. Each provincehas its employment standards, so be sure to familiarize yourselfwith your rights as an employee and where to go if you needhelp.LEARN YOUR TAX OBLIGATIONSYour tax obligations will vary based on whether you’re anemployee, a contract worker, or a business owner, so be sureyou’re clear on them. Consider turning to colleagues, friends inyour network who have similar positions, accounts, or onlineresources to determine your obligations.TRAVEL AND EXPENSES Determine your company’s policy and process on reimbursementor stipends for work-related expenses or travel if your rolerequires you to pay out-of-pocket expenses to complete a task.When working in a virtual setting, you’re responsible for understanding,organizing, and managing your needs. It’s important to be aware of thefollowingYour filing obligations will require you to catalogue everything from office tomarketing to training expenses. Ensure you’re familiar with what you can deduct ina calendar year and keep organized to keep filing easier on yourself. For moreinformation, visit the Government of Canada’s guidelines for business expenses.Self Employed?“I buy those cheap collapsible file folders to categorize and store expenses. Mostimportantly, for entrepreneurs, is to track your time somehow. Even if you payyourself $15 an hour, you’ll probably run at a loss for a while. Storing that loss canoffset income for the years when you are making money.”- Rob Inglis, Partner, Bootstrap Design

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14Once you’ve identified your values and needs, you can clearlycommunicate your virtual work day limits by presenting themin a way beneficial to both you and your role within theorganization.

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16Let's say

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20Get to know people on your team or people you work with often and don’t limit yourinteractions to email or text - set up calls or video conferencing as well.Check in with people on your team when you know they have just finished a project asa way to acknowledge their work.Practice empathy regularly and treat others how you want to be treated. For example,you wouldn’t like it if someone was inconsiderate of your time, so respect others’ time.Keep an open mind and be receptive to feedback while engaging in two-waycommunication. Don’t take negative feedback personally, and instead treat it as anopportunity to get better at your job.If you don’t understand something, get clarification, so you know how to proceedeffectively and productively.Look for opportunities to learn, as learning helps promote professional and personalgrowth.Share professional responsibilities equitably among your colleagues, but alsotake responsibility if something isn’t working well for you or your team.Accept that you’re going to make mistakes on the job, and when you do, acknowledgeyour mistakes and learn from them.Positive relationshipsare important foreffective virtualcollaboration. To promote positiverelationships in avirtual workspace,communication is key.

21- Blair Elliott, Communications and EventsAssociate, McGill Institute for the Study ofCanadaRaquel Russell, CommunicationsAssistant, University of TorontoScarborough Library

22- John Smee, Publisher, Bluffs Monitor

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24Worker burnout is not unique to physical office spaces. virtualworkers are just as at risk of burnout. If you’re always “on” andanswering emails well after business hours, or keep yourselfavailable to jump into work at a moment’s notice, you’re more likelyto struggle with motivation and risk experiencing burnout. This fearof not being able to strike a good work/life balance was also cited asa top concern for youth survey respondents.

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26As you’re discovering, virtual work offers a lot of flexibility when it comes to workingthe way you want to, and that flexibilitycovers your office environment too.

27 While self-isolating, many of us aren’t going to be working from optimal officeenvironments. We’ll be working from spaces we share with roommates, pets,partners, or family members, which might mean competing for space, quiet,and Internet connection. In a survey conducted by the CCYP, nearly half of all respondents anticipated facing distractions due to roommates or otherhousehold members. Here are suggestions to help you work optimally with others while under isolation:"What I came to realize in the first two weeks of COVID-19, was that my office spacewas also a mental space for me. I found it really difficult to do some of the biggerthinking, particularly around how am I running this company right now? I found thatmy physical office space created a mental space for me to think." - Spencer Saunders, President, Art & Science Digital Experience Design

28As isolation measures roll back, working virtually will expand. If your home environment isn’t an optimal workspace, consider these alternate settings:

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30COMMUNICATING TECHNICAL ISSUES:

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32Helen Walsh, President & Founder, Diaspora Dialogues

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34VIRTUAL WORKRESOURCES DISCLAIMER: CCYP and Tamarack do not specifically endorseany of the tools in this list.These are tools recommended by interviewees, survey respondents and focus groupparticipantsand found through research. They are compiled for the benefit of the readerbut should not be considered exhaustive.

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VIRTUAL TECH TOOLS38

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42Roohi SahajpalSpencer SaundersJohn SmeeHelen WalshMegan Wanless Niya AbdullahiJessica BennettMardi DaleyPierre-AntoineDescôteauxBlair ElliottCaleb Hufnagel Rob InglisTrisha IslamKimber KunimotoMikayla McNultyRuté OjigboFrances PottsMelisha Ratnarajah Have feedback on this guide? Share it at info@ccyp-ccpj.org