Return to the office? When? How?

May 2022. Mark that down. We do not expect to see companies returning to their offices in significant numbers before this coming Spring 2022. There remains some anxiety amongst even fully vaccinated people as we enter our cold, dark Canadian winter. However, once the warmer weather returns, the days get longer and people venture out again, look for companies to begin asking their teams to come back slowly but surely beginning next May 2022.

Many executives are increasingly stating that since covid, something has been missing. Although a percentage of employees individually may be as productive at home as they were in the office, the ease and frequency that they can collaborate, motivate, learn, and mentor are inferior to what is possible in-person according to surveys.

The majority of companies will request that their employees return to the office at least 50% of the time; however, staff will also be invited to come in more than that if they so wish (ie., the other 50% of the time is voluntary). The saying “out of sight, out of mind” is meaningful in this instance. It is expected that as some people remain at home while increasing numbers of their colleagues are in the office daily and interacting with their superiors, many of the stay-homers will decide for themselves over the next 1-2 years that the office environment is beneficial for their upward mobility.

That is not to say that work-from-home will end. Indeed, it is here to stay as employers now recognize the value in providing their staff some flexibility to their work-life balance. It is expected that most companies will happily allow for most of their staff to work from home between 1-2 days per week on an ongoing basis.