Employees working from home could save city millions: report

Brantfordexpositor.ca
March 8, 2021

on in savings in its 10-year capital plan and about $1.12 million in annual operating costs.

The CAO’s report recommends reconfiguring plans for the new city hall, currently being renovated in the former Federal Building on downtown Dalhousie Street, to become a “centralized office” for administrative staff.

The report says that with employees working from home, or splitting their time between city hall and home, up to four more departments could be housed in the building.

“The implementation of the proposed new workplace model provides opportunities to streamline service delivery into a single location and expand accessibility to services through technology.”

But there is a price tag of about $5 million to change the city hall floor plan, along with various information technology upgrades and general increased construction costs.

That brings the total budget for the new city hall, set to open in less than a year, to $30.4 million.

Hutchings recommends that the additional costs be offset by the reallocation of $3.2 million from previously approved improvements to municipal buildings that are no longer required and $1.6 million in IT projects no longer required.

The report also outlines almost $13 million in additional savings over 10 years through various means, including reduced need for space in city buildings, consolidation of services and fewer upgrades to buildings.

Last month, Coun. Jan Vanderstelt got unanimous support from fellow councillors to investigate how many of the city’s employees, many of them sent home to work in March at the start of the pandemic, could continue to do their jobs remotely and the potential cost savings to the municipality.

Mayor Kevin Davis said the move from office to home necessitated by the pandemic changed the attitudes of many employers who believed their employees would be less productive. Instead, he said, productivity increased in many areas and there was less absenteeism.

“COVID-19 has made us think about the workplace in a new way and there are definitely economic efficiencies to be realized by taking a different approach than the one we originally planned,” said Davis. “Six months into the pandemic, it’s also clear that there are benefits to a centralized office and work-from-home model for not only employers, but also for employees and citizens.

“The new approach has also motivated us to make delivery of our programming and services to citizens even more convenient by offering more options for residents to access services from the comfort of their own home.”

At full capacity, the city has about 1,800 employees, including seasonal workers. In April, 380 city workers were laid off due to the shutdown of many city-owned facilities. Most of the workers were placed on job-protected unpaid emergency leave.

The CAO’s report says a work-from-home model benefits both employees -- by giving them a better work-life balance -- and Brantford residents, who will have improved accessibility to services and potential tax savings.

The report says the new work model also could substantially reduce the city’s greenhouse gas emissions with fewer buildings to operate and fewer employees commuting to work.

“Most companies and municipalities are seeing the positive benefits of a work-from-home model for both their employees and budgets, and are working towards implementing this model as the new normal,” said Hutchings