NATIONAL PULSE – Mixed views on ending work-from-home options

Majority are supportive of maintaining current model of three days for employees, four for executives

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By ANGUS REID INSTITUTE

September 3, 2025 – The slow but steady march of workers back to their on-site offices picked up in tempo when the Ontario government announced that its public sector employees would be required in the office full time in January.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford may be increasing the pace of the return, but new data from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute finds Canadians divided over the federal government following suit. Slightly fewer than half are supportive (45%) while close to the same number are opposed (43%). Among public sector workers, fully half (53%) oppose this idea compared to one-in-three (36%) who are in favour.

So far, the federal government has kept its options open as to whether it will require its employees to work fully in the office in the future. The current federal policy – at least three in-office days for most, four days for executives – has the support of three-in-five (57%).

On the issue of a full return to office for federal workers, there appears to be differences of opinion among those who have experience working from home, and along generational and gender divides. Those who have some experience working from home are more likely to be opposed (64%) than those who have never done so (47%). As well, public sector employees express more opposition (53%) than those employed in the private sector (44%).

A majority of older Canadians (59%) and half of men (52%) believe hybrid work for federal civil servants should end. Women (47% opposed, 38% support) and Canadians under 35 (56% opposed, 28% support) are less in favour of ending remote work for the federal public service.

Link to the poll here: www.angusreid.org/

Download .PDF with detailed tables, graphs and methodology.