MISSISSAUGA — Ontario government employees are pushing back against a new requirement to return to the office full time, warning the move could hurt morale, productivity and employee retention after years of hybrid work.
On Monday, workers gathered outside a provincial office building in Mississauga, chanting “work-life balance” and voicing frustration with the mandate, which requires employees to work in the office five days a week. Until now, most had been permitted to work remotely two days a week.
“The hybrid model worked great for us,” said one employee waving a CUPE flag. “I don’t understand why we have to come in every day.”
Among those protesting was Bobbette Slater, a 17-year provincial employee with Ontario Health atHome. She said hybrid work allowed her to better manage family responsibilities and, in her view, made her a more engaged and productive employee.
“I don’t think being here five days a week improves collaboration,” Slater said. “When we’re here a few days a week, we still see each other and communicate as effectively as we always have.”
The full-time return-to-office policy took effect Monday and was announced last August by Premier Doug Ford, formally ending hybrid arrangements that had been in place since the COVID-19 pandemic began more than five years ago.
Some employees say the policy has also exposed practical challenges, including insufficient office space to accommodate everyone on site. Ford acknowledged the issue but downplayed it.
“It’s great to have everyone back to work, like every other normal citizen,” Ford said, calling the space concerns “a little bump” that will be resolved.
Maxine Laing Peart, a provincial employee and unit vice-president of CUPE Local 966, said the mandate will disproportionately affect workers who moved farther from their workplaces during the pandemic, increasing commute times and reducing family time.
“I think remote work is more productive,” Peart said.
While acknowledging that some downtown businesses have suffered from fewer office workers, she noted that her office is not downtown and not near businesses dependent on commuter traffic. She suggested a rotational approach instead of a blanket policy.
“One week you have half your workforce in five days, the other half rotates,” she said.
Ontario is not alone in tightening workplace attendance rules. Alberta’s public service workers are expected to return to full-time office work in February, and major private-sector employers — including Rogers Communications and several large banks — have recently required staff to be in the office at least four days a week.
Public sector unions and other critics argue that full-time office mandates increase traffic congestion and emissions, reduce flexibility, and were implemented without meaningful consultation or clear evidence that they improve productivity.
Jelena Zikic, a professor at the School of Human Resources Management at York University, said employers often cite collaboration, productivity and workplace culture to justify in-office requirements, but the evidence is mixed.
“We know there is some data to support this rationale,” Zikic said. “But we also know from the pandemic that people can be productive working from home. A unilateral order to return creates a lot of friction.”
She warned that forcing employees back without flexibility could drive top performers to leave.
“There’s a lot of resistance, and some of the best performers are likely to walk out,” she said.
Zikic described the situation as a “tug of war” that requires compromise rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. She suggested employers explore hybrid models tailored to project timelines, deadlines and collaboration needs.
“This kind of black-and-white imposition will lead to a lot of challenges,” she said.