Hartford Business Journal

14 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | March 28, 2022 New Normal In weeks ahead, many CT companies expected to implement long-term return-to-office strategies By Michael Puffer mpuffer@hartfordbusiness.com W ith the days warming and COVID-19 abating, the next few weeks will show how much of the state's white-collar workforce will ultimately head back into centralized offices, particularly in downtown Hartford. Large employers that have yet to mandate an end to the COVID-19 home-office exile are likely to decide and implement their long-term office strategies this spring, experts and employers said. "From what we see, it looks like a lot of places that were closed, if they are going to reopen, it is happening this month, next month and springtime," said Abby M. Warren, a partner and employment lawyer with law firm Robinson+Cole. Like other big law firms, Robinson+Cole has advised clients on workplace policies throughout the pandemic. Now, many employers are surveying returning staff to understand and address the challenges of coming back to the office, she said. With COVID-19 waning and flu season ending, there is little reason left for companies to delay implementing more permanent work models, Warren said, whether that means requiring workers to be in the office full or part time, or not at all. Clear guidelines Warren advises employers to have clear guidelines for work expectations and ongoing precautions. Consistency among employees is important, she said. Morale is a big concern and companies returning staff will want to make them feel valued, with either gifts or welcome-back celebrations, she said. The flight out of workplaces in March 2020 was a difficult transition. Conversely, employers need to acknowledge the "huge transition" of a return to the office, she said. Shipman & Goodwin Partner Peter Murphy said his clients have either returned workers full or part time to the office, or laid out a return- to-work strategy. He emphasized the need for clear policies and expectations. "People who have worked remotely for a long time want to know what they are coming back to," Murphy said. Patricia E. Reilly, a partner at law firm Murtha Cullina, said she continues to field questions from employers poised to return staff to office settings. Some clients still need help finalizing hybrid work policies that allow employees to split time between the office and their home. The effort includes formulating guidelines on how to log hours, when employees should be available and how to maintain data security, among others. Reilly sees hybrid work models as the new normal. Data seems to back that up. Globally, about 38% of workers said they are already in a hybrid work environment, up seven percentage points from a year earlier, according to Microsoft's 2022 Work Trend Index: Annual Report, which was released March 16. About 53% of people are likely to consider transitioning to hybrid this year, according to Microsoft, which surveyed 31,102 full-time employed or self-employed workers across 31 countries. "I don't see the floodgates [opening] and everybody returning to work 100% of the time just like before the pandemic," Reilly said. "I don't see that ever happening because the labor market has tightened significantly, and employees are demanding some flexibility in their lives." Welcome back Some of the largest Hartford-area companies have announced plans to return staff to offices in March and April using a hybrid model. The Hartford, with 5,500 employees in Connecticut, will "significantly increase" employees returning to offices beginning April 4, said company spokeswoman Suzanne Barlyn. At present, more than half of the company's employees are working remotely, although many already did so pre-pandemic, Barlyn said. Some Abby Warren Patricia Reilly Peter Murphy Whittlesey CEO Drew Andrews continues to work out of his Hartford office, even though all but a handful of staff generally opt to work from home. Andrews said he tries to set an example and maintain his availability. HBJ PHOTO | MICHAEL PUFFER

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