The more news coverage I read about Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s new return-to-office mandate for public servants, the more livid I become.
In an announcement that blindsided many provincial workers and the unions that represent them, Ford announced on Thursday that the government will require thousands of employees to return to working in the office full time, starting Jan. 5, 2026, with a phase-in of four days a week starting Oct. 20. That’s a change from the mandate of three days a week that’s been in place since April 2022.
According to the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, the decision was made without meaningful consultation with workers and without consideration for the realities frontline public service workers face. “Unilateral decisions like this are a slap in the face to the very workers who kept the [Ontario Public Service] running effectively throughout and after the pandemic,” said OPSEU president JP Hornick, in a press release.
Read: 76% of Canadian employers mandating partial, full return to office: survey
From the provincial government’s side, Ford said in a press conference that he believes government employees are more productive in the office (no surprise here that our premier is rather clueless about the realities of the common worker) and that the return is good for the economy with more in-office workers expected to translate to more foot traffic for small businesses.
While I do commiserate with all of Toronto’s downtown businesses that have suffered as the world of work shifted following the coronavirus pandemic, I disagree with Ford’s assessment that people are more productive in the office. My employer requires me to come into the office once a month (since I no longer live in Toronto) while the rest of our team is expected to go in once a week. For me at least, the days I’m in the office are my least productive by a long shot — aside from the eight-hour roundtrip commute, which inevitably eats into the work days on either side of my in-office day, I typically spend the time chatting with colleagues and not getting any actual work done.
But that leads me to another important point — requiring all Ontario public servants to return to an office in the Greater Toronto Area presumes that everyone who works for the government lives in the GTA. That’s just baffling to me. How can the province be properly represented when the people who work for it are concentrated in one city rather than spread out in other communities and rural areas?
Read: 51% of U.S. hybrid, remote workers would quit their jobs if mandated to return to office: survey
Fortunately, I don’t work for the provincial government. One of the best parts of my job is the flexibility and the ability to only come into the Toronto office once a month. I’m happy no longer living in the city — it’s a much more peaceful, slow-paced life, for me and for my kids.
But enough about me. Let’s go to the experts. Despite all of the research conducted since 2020, when working from home became normalized, there’s no evidence that suggests people who work in the office full time are more productive or happier in their jobs than people who are still working in a fully remote or hybrid arrangement.
We actually posed the question in our June Head to head: Should employers be mandating employees back to the office? Usually, our Head to head contrasts two different perspectives, but I had such a challenging time finding someone willing to share the ‘Yes’ view that we ended up running two ‘No’ responses instead.
Read: Head to head: Should employers be mandating employees back to the office?
Mark Ma, associate professor of business administration at the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz Graduate School of Business, shared recent research that examined the consequences of return-to-office mandates for S&P 500 firms from 2020 to 2023. It didn’t find evidence that these mandates benefit company performance or shareholder values. In fact, the research found mandated office presence was associated with lower employee job satisfaction, higher employee turnover and greater difficulty with new employee hiring.
In his response, Sean O’Reilly, president of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, advocated for a ‘presence with purpose’ approach — being in the office when truly needed based on operational requirements and job-specific demands.
“The benefits extend beyond individual workers,” he wrote. “Remote work options save taxpayer money on real estate and overhead costs, help retain talent and create more inclusive workplaces. For women, caregivers, people with disabilities and other equity-deserving groups, remote work removes significant barriers to full participation.”
Read: Editorial: It’s time to embrace the many workplaces of the future
My employer’s hybrid and flexible working arrangement has certainly helped it retain my talent and built a more inclusive workplace. As a solo parent to my two young kids, I’m very aware how different my life would be if I was still in Toronto, riding the subway back and forth every day and struggling to afford a one-bedroom apartment. In the country, I’m present for my kids and for my dog. I’m grounded and happy and so much more relaxed. And I’m more productive in my job than I’ve ever been.
I view remote working as a positive experience for me personally, just like 84 per cent of employee respondents to Benefits Canada‘s 2024 Future of Work Survey. My reasons why also align with the survey results — work-life balance was the No. 1 (71 per cent) positive element cited by respondents working from home fully or in a hybrid environment, followed by a reduced/removed commute freeing them up to finish work tasks (67 per cent) and having fewer distractions so they can better focus on work (55 per cent).
The survey also found 79 per cent of hybrid or remote employees expressed at least some reluctance to return to working onsite, including 51 per cent who were extremely or very reluctant.
Premier Ford is so disconnected from the reality of everyday workers, so stubborn to push forward without asking what they want, so short-sighted to the enormous shift we’ve all encountered in the wake of the pandemic. Big companies and governments will keep trying to return to the way it was before — but they’re wrong. And it will bear out in the long term.
Listen to the average employee and you’ll see. They don’t want to come back to the office. They want their independence, autonomy and work-life balance. They want to be trusted and respected. They want to work remotely or in a hybrid arrangement. If employers don’t listen, their top talent will go work for someone who does.