Tug-of-war underway as employees push to stay home amid high gas prices

It’s very likely the record high gas prices facing many British Columbians is delaying the return to the office as many balk at the cost of their commute. Given that, there appears to be a distinct back and forth between managers and employees to get back to the office.

Andy Yan, director of the City Program at Simon Fraser University, says it’s possible some office towers will not only stay empty but may never be back at full capacity, especially in places like Downtown Vancouver.

“I think it’s going to be, certainly for the next six months, it’s going to be a bit of a dance in terms of how employees work with their employers in terms of what their work schedules are, and I think that’s what cities right across North America, probably around the world, are facing,” Yan said.

He acknowledges many people feel they can be just as productive at home as they can at the office and the argument can be difficult to contend with from a manager’s point of view.

“We’ll see this, perhaps, continue on. It may take time to go back to where we were… as we all adapt to this potential hybrid model as our new mode of work. But I think it’s important to note that it’s only for some workers,” Yan said.

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The flexible workspace is the new normal as office vacancy rates in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal hover at the highest level in years creating more anxiety for all of the small business operators who rely on those office towers being filled, and that’s the trickle-down effect for local businesses who rely heavily on foot traffic.

“On the other side of it, will we also see a deeper programming from local businesses improvement [groups] to attract and retain workers, say, on their days off or on evenings — that they become a much more activity-driven kind of space, as opposed to say a work-trip driven space.”

Yan admits managers will also likely need to figure out ways to keep people and avoid an employee exodus.

Recent research from Robert Half International found more than half the employees they talked to would rather quit than come back to the office full-time as less than half of senior managers said they supported a hybrid working model but didn’t say how many days a week somebody would have to be in the office.

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“It’s clear professionals want continued flexibility in where and how they work — however, some companies appear to be out of sync with their employees’ priorities as they plan for the future,” says David King, Canadian senior managing director of Robert Half. “In today’s tight talent market, eliminating remote work options will only make hiring and retention more challenging. Employers need to move past the idea that collaboration and innovation only happen in the office and recognize that people are more engaged and motivated when they have a say in where they work.”

The company also says companies need to figure out other perks like how to improve their onboarding, having the right technology for people to communicate and collaborate and how to ensure morale is where it needs to be.

With files from Mike Eppel