Chief medical officer wants employers 'to remain diligent and vigilant'
The Ontario government is asking employers in all industries in the province to continue asking employees to work from home whenever possible.
“Ontario, like other jurisdictions around the world, is seeing concerning trends in public health and health care indicators, and additional measures are required to protect our progress for the long-term,” says Kieran Moore, chief medical officer of health.
"Just as I am asking individuals to continue practising public health measures and get vaccinated, I’m also asking businesses and organizations to remain diligent and vigilant."
The announcement comes after the City of Toronto announced it would be welcoming fully vaccinated employees back to the office starting Jan. 4, 2022.
Having people work from home helps reduce mobility in the province, which ultimately reduces disease transmission, says Moore. Reducing mobility is even more important during the holiday season, with many people spending more time with family and friends, he says.
“We need to keep each other safe.”
Nearly all of U.S. workers who have returned to the office (95 per cent) have experienced the advantages of being present on-site, but a majority (87 per cent) of employees also have concerns about being in the workplace, according to a previous survey.
More than eight in 10 (84 per cent) Canadian employers say they will consider some sort of permanent work-from-home policy, according to a report from Randstad Sourceright.
