Two more large-scale companies are implementing return-to-office (RTO) mandates that require a more frequent presence in the workplace by workers, according to reports.
Rogers Communications will require corporate employees to be in the office four days a week starting in October, according to a report.
By February 2026, the required number of in-office days will increase to five, according to the report.
The phased approach will give workers and their families time to adjust to the changes, said Rogers spokesperson Zac Carreiro in the CP report posted in CTV News.
TD Bank calls workers back
Meanwhile, Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD Bank) has asked employees to work in the office four days a week starting this fall, according to a Reuters report.
This will apply to executive-level staff starting Oct. 6. Non-executive employees will be required to do the same by Nov. 3.
“Many locations will be ready to accommodate this change by Nov. 3,” said Officer Melanie Burns, TD Bank Group’s CHRO, in a memo.
The Bank of Montreal (BMO) has also mandated in-office work, requiring employees to be on-site at least four days per week. BMO’s move followed a similar development at Scotiabank and the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) has also made a similar announcement, according to Reuters.
Should employees go back to the office full-time?
In a Forbes article, Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, chief innovation officer at ManpowerGroup, shared the following reasons “underpinning the current trend to abolish hybrid or remote work, and replace them with a full-time return to the office”:
- Many leaders believe that in-person work fosters a strong company culture that, in turn, boosts employee engagement, loyalty, and retention.
- Employers believe it would make it easier to monitor input.
- To justify the expense, leaders insist that employees use the space.
- In-person work fosters easier and more spontaneous collaboration, reducing the friction of scheduling virtual meetings and allowing for informal brainstorming.
- Some managers believe that physical presence reinforces workplace authority and structure, allowing leadership to maintain greater control over the workforce.
- Employers believe in-office work will foster learning and development through osmosis.
- Some leaders believe that after prolonged remote work, bringing employees back will restore energy, motivation, and a sense of belonging that may have diminished over time.
However, some workers do not agree with the development.
Hybrid work is the way to go for companies looking to help improve their workers’ health and overall wellness, according to a previous report from International Workplace Group (IWG).