Montreal City Weblog

Kate 12:11 on 2021-07-21 Permalink Reply  

• Jeff 14:32 on 2021-07-21 Permalink

  The chamber of commerce is made up of commercial real estate developers and bar, restaurant, and cafe owners who lease from real estate developers. Office workers are their livelihood, and they have mortgages/leases to pay. It’s quite brazen of them to try to get businesses to force workers back into offices.

• Kevin 14:39 on 2021-07-21 Permalink

  Sun Life has already told employees they don’t need to ever come back to the office https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-sun-life-will-let-canadian-employees-choose-whether-to-return-to-the/

  I got emails today from 2 groups pushing for a return to the office, and they say “53% of people want to return to the office!”

  Then you look into the actual details of their own survey and see that number is the total that would be willing to work at a downtown office one day a week— and the numbers plummet from there.

• Kevin 14:47 on 2021-07-21 Permalink

  The link to the Chamber of Commerce survey just to be clear
  https://www.ccmm.ca/~/media/Files/PDF-Section/2021/jaime-travailler-au-centre-ville/J-aime-PPT-sondage-retour%2022-06.pdf?la=fr

  10% willing to work 5 days
  10% want 4 days
  24% want 3 days
  27% want 2 days
  15% want 1 day
  12% want to never return

  Of those willing to come back, 75% want to skip rush hour.
  84% say remote work is more satisfying and more productive.

• Azrhey 15:15 on 2021-07-21 Permalink

  We’re going back to the office in September and boss wants us there “at least once a week, on average” but also said that those of us that will be at the office less than 4 full days will have to share offices with other people. Which is totally fair, they can use the space for new people, or whatever.
  I’ve already talked with a potential “bunkmate” and I’ll be working Tuesday and Wednesday and she’ll be there Wednesday and Thursday. That gives us a day alone and a say together at the office.
  I’m rather happy with it

• JP 15:32 on 2021-07-21 Permalink

  I’m doing the hybrid model now, and I love it. When I’m in the office (2-3 days a week) I like being there. It does allow me to forge stronger relationships with my new colleagues…but working from home can be more productive as an introvert. I also get more sleep and eat leftovers which are healthier than my typical lunches.

  What type of work are they doing? Some thrive working at home, others not so much. Some need the escape of an office, others need escape from negative toxic work environments. We have proven we can work from home successfully.

  I think employers should be flexible. The last thing you want is a team of resentful employees.

• Kate 21:28 on 2021-07-21 Permalink

  The last thing you want is a team of resentful employees.

  In a sane world, maybe. You’re lucky if you’ve never worked for people who could not have cared less whether their employees felt resentment, or indeed felt anything, for any reason.

• Ephraim 22:47 on 2021-07-21 Permalink

  Remember, the CCMM, aka the BoToMM are the same people who ripped the city off with BIXI, who run Tourisme Montreal and collect a “tax” of 3.5% from all hotel rooms, but do very little for them and of course own/owned Stationnement Montreal. The kind of people that I count my fingers after shaking their hands. They always have a side interest and making money off of the city of Montreal public funds is somehow always in their plans. I don’t try ANYTHING they say, ever. Snake Oil salesmen.

• Daniel D 11:05 on 2021-07-22 Permalink

  I would imagine a lot of business are thinking about how much they can save in office rent by moving to a hybrid / hotel working approach. Also, I think the businesses which are going to succeed in recruiting the best people are going to be the ones which allow remote working flexibility. I think it’s hard to argue against either of these two benefits, which is perhaps why the CCMM are being so aggressive on this matter?

• PatrickC 12:28 on 2021-07-22 Permalink

  @Ephraim, Are there any journalists out there who would be willing to take (another?) hard look at CCMM? Linda Gyulai, maybe? Or is there reluctance to probe the matter?

• Blork 16:07 on 2021-07-22 Permalink

  I’m looking forward to not making my own sandwiches for lunch a day or two a week. Also, there’s a Soda & Slice on Ste-Catherine now, just west of Guy. Finally, a decent downtown slice!

  The idea of sharing an office or desk for people who rarely come in makes sense from management’s POV, but not so much from the entrenched employee’s POV. But I will admit to being a bit spoiled on my desk situation. It’s not like in some tech companies where all you need to do is find a space for your laptop. I have a 36″ monitor on my (downtown) desk, plus a bunch of gear such as keyboard, mouse, trackpad, dock thingy, paper notebooks, etc. I also have drawers full of my stuff. Not sure how I’ll manage that if it ends up shared with someone.

  Also: not looking forward to riding buses and Metro again.

• Ephraim 21:30 on 2021-07-22 Permalink

  @PatrickC – They didn’t when the head of Tourism Montreal walked away with a golden parachute over $600K. They didn’t when they got caught faking stuff on TripAdvisor. They didn’t, when they left montreal with Bixi, they haven’t done anything asking who is Tourism Montreal and who they represent….. etc.

  I collect that 3.5% tax for them. I asked for maps for my guests. First reply was NO! When I pressed, they offered to allow me to pick them up from them in St-Laurent. These aren’t for me. I now teach people to preload it on their phone… so no ads for Tourism Montreal.

  PS: The real force in local journalism is usually local TV. But TVA wouldn’t do a thing about this… it’s all right-wing corruption.