All fully-vaccinated office-based employees with the City of Toronto are set to be back in the workplace, at least some of the time, starting on Jan. 4, 2022.
In a press release, the city said, as of Nov. 30, each of its office buildings will be open to the maximum occupancy possible, based on physical distancing requirements as determined by the Ontario government.
The release noted that while office-based employees — who represent roughly 25 per cent of the city’s total workforce — began their return to the workplace in the fall, the majority of its employees have been working onsite throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Last year, the city was already moving toward pivoting to a permanent hybrid work model for its approximately 14,500 white-collar workers.
Read: City of Toronto pivoting to permanent hybrid work model
In other news, Scotiabank is planning a phased return to the workplace for head office employees starting early next year. In an emailed statement to Benefits Canada, a spokesperson from the bank said the phased return is tentatively planned to begin Jan. 17, 2022, with the majority of head office employees continuing to work in a hybrid model that has been in place since Oct. 1, 2021.
Employees working onsite will be required to follow Scotiabank’s mandatory vaccination policy, said the statement, noting the return date was selected based on guidance from the bank’s medical advisors, available data and in consultation with government partners. With the discovery of the new coronavirus variant Omicron, the bank said return measures will be updated based on public health guidance as needed.
The Bank of Montreal began welcoming back office-based employees in two waves during the summer and fall, with a full-fledged return for all remote workers dependent on local health guidance and business needs, according to an emailed statement to Benefits Canada.
Read: Majority of employers are planning return to workplace this year, finds survey
Similarly, a spokesperson for the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce told Benefits Canada the bank is planning to bring its remaining remote workers — roughly two-thirds of its total workforce — back into the office on a hybrid basis in early 2022, dependent on the state of the pandemic.
And while some Toronto-Dominion Bank employees returned to the office voluntarily in recent months, the bank is currently preparing for a wider return of office-based workers, in accordance with local pandemic conditions and health guidelines, according to an emailed statement to Benefits Canada.
Last month, the Royal Bank of Canada announced plans for a permanent hybrid work model, based on a set of guiding principles that allow for a flexible approach optimized for the employer, its employees and clients alike.