A significant shift to a full-time return to the office is happening in Toronto.
Five years after the COVID pandemic forced office employees to work from home and hybrid work arrangements were instituted when restrictions were eventually lifted, a new survey has revealed companies are prioritizing getting workers back to their cubicles on a permanent basis.
According to an annual survey of Crown Property Management’s tenants in the Greater Toronto Area and Ottawa, the company said 80% reported regular office attendance on peak days — Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday — and 27% of employees were present five days a week.
The company said Toronto is the leader in regular office attendance among other major Canadian cities, with a 70% physical occupancy rate.
The survey also found the importance of amenities at the office helped with worker satisfaction.
Approximately 80% of tenants expressed happiness with on-site offerings. The company said it is focusing on enhancing fitness and conference facilities, as well as common areas.
In addition, more than four in five decision makers surveyed said their business is either stable or growing.
“As tenants gain greater confidence in their workplace needs and move past the shorter-term renewal trend we saw during COVID, they are considering how their workplace aligns with their own long term business objectives,” Emily Hanna, a managing partner, said in a news release.
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The property management company said it is pursuing energy retrofits to its buildings, including improvements in greenhouse gas emissions, energy efficiency, and water usage.
The survey found 72% of leasing decision-makers among Crown’s tenants prefer an office building with a decarbonization strategy, with 22% willing to pay a rental premium for sustainability initiatives.