Navigating social isolation and scheduling flexibility: The unique experiences of immigrants engaging in remote and hybrid work
Alexa Krywulak, Vaida Kiaulakyte, Selvana Soreal, Samantha Jackson, Suzanne HuotBackground
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the increase in remote and hybrid work (RHW) positions opened new opportunities in the labor market for diverse populations in Canada, including immigrants. This change altered traditional workspaces for these employees, reshaping the interplay between daily activities, and blurring the spatial and temporal boundaries between occupational roles. Although immigrants are a vital part of Canada's economy, their experiences in RHW remain understudied in occupation-focused scholarship.
Objective
To explore the contextual factors shaping the employment experiences of immigrants in RHW and how these influence their daily occupations more broadly.
Methods
Adopting an intrinsic case study approach, participants were recruited through snowball and convenience sampling and included immigrants living in Canada who worked in remote or hybrid arrangements for at least 3 months. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and eighteen verbatim transcripts were analysed through thematic analysis.
Results
Three themes with subthemes were developed to reflect immigrants’ occupational experiences in RHW: multifaceted isolation, the double-edged sword of flexibility and unique contextual barriers to occupational participation. Participants demonstrated a preference for hybrid work due to limited socialization and networking opportunities in remote work settings and to facilitate occupational balance.
Conclusions
This study highlights immigrants’ unique RHW experiences through an occupational lens, revealing both benefits and challenges of RHW arrangements. Findings may inform health care professionals, employers and policymakers in supporting occupational balance and participation among immigrant remote and hybrid workers.