Hartford offices may be slow to reopen
Despite rules rollback, Aetna, Travelers stick with remote for now
Gov. Ned Lamont’s decision to lift restrictions on offices isn’t expected to spark a surge in those employees returning the workplace, but rather a slow, gradual re-entry that will be marked by employers balancing how workers are distributed between the workplace and their homes.
David Griggs, president and chief executive of the MetroHartford Alliance, said he sees more companies moving toward a hybrid working life for their employees, either a mix of coming into the office and working at home or being entirely based at home.
“Two weeks ago, we had a certain timeline in mind that said, in summer, we’ll start coming back,” Griggs said. “But now that the vaccines are moving faster, companies are trying to figure out what that means. I don’t think that means a complete return to the office. You’re going to see it trickle back in, and it’s going to be slow.”
On Thursday, Lamont announced a dramatic rollback on restrictions. In addition to offices, restaurants, stores, houses of worship, gyms and others will be allowed to reopen at full capacity on March 19. Masks and social distancing will continue to be required.
Lamont also advised that the return to offices should be tempered appropriately, especially if workers can telecommute.
For downtown Hartford’s shops and restaurants that depend on companies large and small — and their employees — as patrons, the wait could be long.
Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin said he doesn’t expect significant change in downtown offices until the summer or fall, based on his conversations with employers.
“We want to see those offices full as quickly as possible, and I’ve encouraged all the employers that I’ve talked to to move as quickly as they feel they can responsibly and safely do it, “Bronin said. “But in the meantime, we are going to be very focused come summer that there’s as much activity, especially outdoor activity and energy and fun happening around the city as possible because that is going to be an important part of our recovery.”
Major corporations in Hartford — employing thousands of workers — said Friday they would continue to monitor the situation and did not signal a quick return to office buildings.
At Travelers Cos., which has 7,000 employees in the Hartford area, a significant presence in downtown Hartford and offices across the country, the property-casualty insurer said Friday that Lamont’s decision to significantly lift occupancy restrictions on offices isn’t expected to usher in any immediate change.
“The majority of our employees continue to work remotely, and we don’t expect that to change in the very near term,” Matt Bordonaro, a Travelers spokesman in Hartford, said. “We’ve been closely monitoring the changing regulations and developments across all our locations, and we continue to consider recommendations from federal and state health officials as we make decisions in the best interests of our employees.”
Health insurer Aetna Inc., a subsidiary of CVS Health Corp., based in Woonsocket, R.I., said it does not foresee any changes in the next few months. Hartford-based Aetna employs about 5,000 in the city.
“Throughout the pandemic, a majority of Aetna’s Hartford colleagues have continued to work remotely, while a small number of essential colleagues have continued to work onsite, adhering to all health and safety protocols,” Aetna said, in a statement. “We plan on continuing with this approach through June and will continue to evaluate our approach to bring our employees back to the office safely.”
Commercial real estate experts say that while they don’t expect a rush back into downtown Hartford offices, the lifting of the restrictions could foster a bit more optimistic outlook.
Mark J. Duclos, president of Sentry Commercial in Hartford, said most companies are formulating plans to bring workers back to offices.
“Maybe some employers take a step back and say, maybe we can start expediting that plan a little bit,” Duclos said.
The task is daunting because the pandemic has rewritten the rules about employees and offices, with a further shift to working at home, a move that began even before COVID-19.
Even though Lamont’s order grants fewer restrictions on office occupancy, there are still requirements for social distancing, which could cause logistical problems, depending on how much space an employer owns or leases.
“If you have a limited office from a size standpoint, relative to the amount of staff that you have, your staff just can’t show up one day because you’re not going to have all the social distancing that you are probably going to need to accommodate them,” Duclos said.
Duclos said some employees also may not be ready to return to the office, even if they can.
David Lehman, commissioner of the state Department of Economic and Community Development, said the Lamont administration has been discussing when is the right time.
“So much is about confidence,” Lehman said. “It’s signaling we’re toward the end of it as vaccinations increase.”
Essential businesses such as manufacturing have been operating at full capacity and may not be affected as much as gyms, restaurants and retailers that were shut last year and later reopened gradually, Lehman said.
Lehman answered critics who say Lamont is acting hastily, reminding Connecticut residents that masks and space requirements remain in place.
“This is a world that operates in sound bites,” he said. “This is absolutely not the all-clear.”
Outside of Hartford, the Whitcraft Group, an aerospace manufacturer with Connecticut sites in Eastford, Plainville/Southington and South Windsor, said Friday it is not planning to make any changes in the protocol put in place last year.
Masks and social distancing will still be required, temperatures of workers will continue to be taken daily, and reporting will continue each day of employees not at work and showing symptoms or not, Chief Executive Officer Doug Folsom said.
“None of that will change,” Folsom said. “We’re trying to collect information, mostly for the benefit of communication and making people feel better about going back to work,” Folsom said.