Montréal, June 28, 2023 –
Today, the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal presented
Downtown work organization: Approaches and incentives to optimize work organization for business productivity
, a new study carried out as part of the “I love working downtown” initiative with the support of the Ministère de l’Économie, de l’Innovation et de l’Énergie.
“The study we’re presenting today illustrates an inescapable reality: the hybrid work model is part of the new equilibrium, and going back to the pre-pandemic status quo isn’t an option. Some 94% of downtown workers currently commute to work at least once a week. This positive trend is in line with what we’ve been seeing for the last two years. However, we still need to strike a balance between the current situation and business needs. Some 71% of businesses plan to eventually adopt a hybrid policy with a mandatory presence in the office. Finding the right balance will be the major challenge in organizing work over the coming months,” said Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal.
“Our results confirm some of the benefits of in-person work on productivity and worker satisfaction. The majority (86%) of employees who go to the office four to five days a week say they feel satisfied. Among them, 89% feel that in-person work improves their productivity, 84% cite social benefits and 83% mention the development of their professional network. These are clear results, which will help businesses in their arguments to bring their employees back to the office,” added Michel Leblanc.
“Our study shows that 68% of downtown workers want to be in the office every week. The remaining 32%, who are more reluctant to return, are mostly young professionals with children living outside Greater Montréal. This latest data highlights the value of incentives put in place by businesses. Flexible working hours, which reconcile the needs of employees with those of the business, are one of the keys to achieving our objectives. It’s a simple, common-sense measure that can create a satisfactory return for everyone,” said Michel Leblanc.
“The efforts of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal are paying off. Workers seem keen to come back downtown. The projects announced over the last two years have revitalized the downtown core, and people are eager to rediscover it,” said Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy, Minister Responsible for Regional Economic Development and Minister Responsible for the Metropolis and the Montréal Region.
“To win over workers, businesses should also capitalize on downtown Montréal’s unique advantages. Our study shows that access to public transit, as well as downtown’s stores, cultural offerings and food scene, are particularly important factors for workers who are more reluctant to come back, such as those living off-island and workers between 18 and 34. We’re fortunate to have all these assets around us, so let’s make the most of them and create a virtuous circle, where downtown’s vitality and an influx of people reinforce each other,” said Michel Leblanc.
To read the full study (in French only), go to the Chamber’s website.
About the “I love working downtown” initiative
“I love working downtown” is an initiative of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal carried out with support from the Ministère de l’Économie, de l’Innovation et de l’Énergie. Its objective is to accelerate the relaunch of downtown Montréal.
About the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal
With a network of over 8,000 members, the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal (“the Chamber”) is active on three fronts: being the voice of the Montréal business community, delivering specialized services to businesses and their employees, and leading impact initiatives to strengthen the business environment. For 200 years, it has acted on issues that are decisive for the prosperity of the city’s businesses. With the support of its Acclr experts, the Chamber’s goal is to accelerate the creation and growth of businesses of all sizes, at home and around the world.
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Source :
Jean-Baptiste Portrait
Press Officer
Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal
Tel.: 514-669-6768
jbportrait@ccmm.ca
Facebook : www.facebook.com/chambremontreal
Twitter : @chambremontreal
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