Ian McGrath has made it clear to his bosses: If the company forces staff to return to the office, he91裸聊视频檒l tender his resignation.

The Halifax-area tech worker says he91裸聊视频檚 thriving working from home. His productivity has soared, his last annual review exceeded expectations and he91裸聊视频檚 now one of the company91裸聊视频檚 top performers.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e also achieved a much better work-life balance,91裸聊视频� McGrath said. 91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 healthier, happier and more productive.91裸聊视频�

Businesses are issuing return-to-office plans across the country, calling white-collar workers back to their cubicles after two years of working from home.

As pandemic restrictions are lifted and case numbers ease, some companies want workers back in the office five days a week. On the other side of the spectrum, others are vacating pricey leases in prime downtown areas and asking employees to work remotely for good.

Many others are adopting a hybrid model, varying from a flexible come-when-you-want approach to mandating specific days workers must report to the office for duty.

Yet after more than two years of Zoom calls and Slack chats from home, wearing comfy 91裸聊视频渟oft91裸聊视频� pants and having more time for kids or exercise or reading, employees may be resistant to returning to the office.

91裸聊视频淪ome employers just want to flip a switch and turn back time to how things were,91裸聊视频� said Catherine Connelly, human resources and management professor at McMaster University91裸聊视频檚 DeGroote School of Business.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 wishful thinking,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淚f you look at any other past pandemic 91裸聊视频� behaviours just did not reset to how things were.91裸聊视频�

A return to the office doesn91裸聊视频檛 affect all workers equally, said Connelly, also Canada Research Chair in organizational behaviour.

Multiple factors can influence how employees respond to the revival of office life, from the comfort of their home working conditions and personality type to their workplace culture and office set up.

91裸聊视频淚f you91裸聊视频檝e got a nice big office with a door that closes and maybe a dedicated parking space, that91裸聊视频檚 very different than someone being asked to work from a noisy cubicle with a lot of interruptions,91裸聊视频� she said.

The key to a successful return-to-office plan is flexibility and taking it slow, experts say.

If workers feel like they are being coerced into returning to the office, they91裸聊视频檒l push back.

91裸聊视频淚f people perceive it as control being taken away from them, you91裸聊视频檙e going to get resistance,91裸聊视频� said Paula Allen, global leader and senior vice-president of research and total well-being at LifeWorks.

91裸聊视频淭wo years is a long time for habits to become ingrained and people don91裸聊视频檛 like change,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淚t won91裸聊视频檛 change overnight.91裸聊视频�

Some tech companies, previously known for workplace perks such as free office fitness classes and nap rooms, are again turning to incentives to help lure workers back to the office.

ServiceNow Canada, an enterprise software company with offices in Montreal and Toronto and plans to open a Calgary location soon, is hoping to entice employees with free meals and team-building events.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e starting to put on some events to say, 91裸聊视频榃e91裸聊视频檙e here, come on down and have some fun,91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� said Marc LeCuyer, vice-president and general manager of ServiceNow Canada.

The tech company has held a Taco Tuesday lunch, a pop-up from a local bakery and a pizza making event, he said.

91裸聊视频淲e want to get back to this mindset where human connection is valuable and healthy,91裸聊视频� Lecuyer said. 91裸聊视频淲e want to set the stage for a return to the office in a very positive way.91裸聊视频�

The company doesn91裸聊视频檛 plan to mandate a return to the office, he said.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e providing people with choice,91裸聊视频� Lecuyer said. 91裸聊视频淚f you91裸聊视频檙e working for an employer who is forcing you to do something that you don91裸聊视频檛 want to do, there91裸聊视频檚 no path to positive experience.91裸聊视频�

The desire to attract employees back to offices with perks such as free food has been a boon for startups like Hungerhub, a corporate catering tech platform that delivers lunches to workplaces from local restaurants.

Sari Abdo, co-founder and CEO of the Toronto-based startup, said the corporate lunch program eases some of the burden of returning to an office.

91裸聊视频淚 think we91裸聊视频檙e seeing a carrot-and-stick approach to getting employees back in the office and this is a carrot,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淐ompanies are saying, 91裸聊视频楧on91裸聊视频檛 worry about food, don91裸聊视频檛 worry about meal planning, just come on in.91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�

While a free lunch is a nice gesture, companies do have the right to call workers back into the office 91裸聊视频� no incentive required, said employment lawyer Hermie Abraham.

91裸聊视频淭his is the employer91裸聊视频檚 legal right and decision as to how they wish to implement return-to-work plans,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淧eople may feel like they should have the right to continue working from home but unless there91裸聊视频檚 a human rights consideration, they don91裸聊视频檛.91裸聊视频�

Many workers going into the office for the first time in years are groaning about a lengthy commute, expensive parking and the soaring cost of lunch.

But from a legal standpoint, Abraham said it91裸聊视频檚 largely 91裸聊视频渢oo bad, so sad.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淵ou may have realized gains during COVID because you didn91裸聊视频檛 have to pay for those things, but that91裸聊视频檚 not your employer91裸聊视频檚 problem,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淭his is the job you signed up for when you originally were hired.91裸聊视频�

Still, Abraham said a best practice would be to allow a gradual return to the office 91裸聊视频� particularly given the current red hot labour market.

91裸聊视频淭here is going to be a war for talent in some positions and the more accommodating and flexible you are as an employer, the greater chances that you91裸聊视频檒l win.91裸聊视频�

Halifax-area tech worker Ian McGrath said he91裸聊视频檚 aware of the low unemployment rate and competition for talent in many industries, including his.

91裸聊视频淚 know what the market looks like right now,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚 know that I could leave my job for somewhere else and make more money.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频擝rett Bundale, The Canadian Press