Federal departments get go-ahead to bring more employees back to the office

Federal government workers are going to be encouraged to return to their offices very soon.

It's understandable that the city and the government would like to have things return to as normal 'pre-COVID' as possible by having their workers return to buildings throughout Ottawa. There are 'pro's and con's' to having this happen.

Some of the pro's are: workers being able to socialize with their co-workers and others, to be able to get out of their homes into a different space to work from, a little more variety in the day, more easily collaborate with others, enjoy lunch downtown, etc....

Some of the con's - one of the biggest in my mind - is "the federal public service's updated occupational health guidelines on Monday [saying] masks or respirators should be worn in all indoor shared spaces, even when physical distancing is maintained," having to commute again from home, the cost of necessary parking and/or transportation, the rise in gas prices, sitting in traffic, etc....

The mandatory wearing of masks indoors is going to be a HUGE stumbling block for many workers who 'may' want to return to the office. If I were a public servant, I would be working from home until the requirement to wear a mask indoors was lifted. Then, and only then, would I consider moving back to an office environment.

Why would anyone want to leave the comfort of their home, where they have been successfully working, without having to wear a mask, to return to an office environment where the wearing of a mask is mandatory? The commute, the hassle, the cost, the rise in gas prices, etc....all this to wear a mask? No thanks. Home is the best place to be thank you very much!

Once the mandatory requirement to wear a mask is lifted, only then will you have more workers willing to entertain the thought of perhaps coming back to the offices to work.

That's my take.