Last week, Premier Doug Ford announced he is mandating all Ontario Public Service Agency and Commission workers to return to the office 5 days per week, starting in January. This policy, which was created with no consultation with workers and serves no meaningful purpose, is not only short-sighted, but also potentially fiscally irresponsible.
Since the pandemic, hybrid work has been the norm for the 1,800 members serving Ontarians at Ontario Health atHome (OHAH). This arrangement has been normalized as it enables them to maintain strong contact with one another while also allowing for workplace flexibility to help them manage their lives. The employer sold off many of the office buildings, meaning they no longer have the capacity to house all the staff back in the office.
Despite having 60% of the workforce in office under the current hybrid model at any time, the organization is already struggling with a lack of office space available for those workers. In the years since the pandemic, Ontario Health atHome has been restructured several times. There are already not enough work areas for the staff working from the office space that is available. Workers no longer have assigned workstations and haven’t for over one year. This desk hoteling means that several employees share one desk in some offices, making managing their work more difficult. In addition to this, Ford’s government has also recently moved Ontario Health workers into Ontario Health atHome offices, which serves to compound this issue.
CUPE estimates that Ontario Health atHome will need at least two thirds more office space to meet this 100% in-office directive. Where will that office space come from? How does the government plan to pay for this rapid expansion? If the disastrous Wellesley-Bay redevelopment is any indication, Ontario taxpayers can expect further mismanagement, cost over-runs, and significant delays.
The Ford government needs to re-evaluate this policy. They must immediately ensure that enough space is available to meet the needs of the workers under the current 3-days-per-week model and commit to not spending extra money on real estate simply to implement its inflexible return-to-office policy. We are calling on the Ford government to work with us to develop the most effective, efficient workplace plan that meets the needs of both the employers and employees, one that will ensure OHAH can attract and retain the best workforce possible.