A watered-down mandate for Ottawa city staff to return to in-person work and passed by City Council has some councillors wondering if the new order changes much.
A decision to end hybrid work was announced in a memo issued by City Manager Wendy Stephanson in late August.
In the wake of the decision, Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper tabled a motion that would have rescinded the order and, while that motion was ultimately not voted on, councillors agreed to a compromise.
A replacement motion proposed by Kanata North Coun. Cathy Curry says “that there will always be flexibility” in working arrangements.
The city manager told council that all requests for hybrid work “will be reasonably accommodated.”
“Discussions [on continued hybrid work] will happen on an individualized basis, understanding the role that they have in the organization, the work that they’re doing, their personal needs and the space that we have,” said Stephanson during the meeting.
“The overriding goal … is about improving culture. It’s about improving collaboration and building those relationships across the organization to deliver on council priorities and our day-to-day services.”
Stephanson told council that 15 per cent of city employees qualify for hybrid work, with about half that number deciding to work in-person five days a week.
Stephanson also said the research on the purported benefits of in-person and hybrid work models “is varied.”
Not all councillors were happy with the compromise. Capital Coun. Shawn Menard said the evidence is on the side of a hybrid work model.
“The evidence is very clear, that hybrid work is an improvement for everybody, the employer and the employee,” said Menard, who referenced a large 2024 study on employees working from home. “So, I don’t think you’ve presented any evidence whatsoever to justify your decision today.”
As it became clear that Stephanson’s mandate would not entail an unconditional order for all city staff to return to the office, River Coun. Riley Brockington questioned the purpose of the debate regarding the return-to-office order.
“I came here ready to debate a mandatory return-to-office mandate of five days a week, and now it’s evolved through the conversation that we’re having today,” said Brockington. “Why are we discussing this if we’ll be able to maintain the existing hybrid model for [employees who currently qualify for hybrid work],” he asked.
“The first question that was asked was: What is the net difference that’s going to happen because of this? And today we’re hearing there is not going to be any net difference.”
In her concluding remarks, Curry said her motion “clarifi[es] that … it is possible for some employees to come back and work five days in-office, but not all.”
“There will be accommodations, flexibility, case-by-case analysis,” said Curry. “All managers will be told that that is the case, and it won’t start for a while so there will be a long communications plan.”
Curry’s motion was approved by a vote of 15-10. The measures take effect on Jan. 1.
