Portland mandates full-time in-office return for city managers starting April 2025

The City of Portland is set to require all managers and supervisors, about 700, to return to their worksites full-time starting in April, marking a significant shift in its work policy. This change will result in nearly 80 percent of all working hours at the city being conducted in-person.

"Managers and supervisors set the tone and culture for staff across our city. High-performing organizations across the nation have shown us it’s possible to bring people back together, while also remaining flexible.," the city said in a press release.

KATU News spoke with Mayor Wilson about why these changes are taking place. "So this year is our focus on addressing the crisis and treating it like a crisis. We have thousands of Portlanders living on the streets. We have an unsheltered homeless crisis. That’s our focus this year. So bringing those supervisors and managers back for that collaboration, that camaraderie to really address the crisis is the most important thing."

The move is also seen as a response to the urgent need to address unsheltered homelessness and enhance the safety and cleanliness of Portland.

This will only impact city managers and supervisors. In a letter sent to employees today, Wilson said, "This news will undoubtedly raise questions about our long-term workplace policy for other employees who remain remote and hybrid."

He goes on to say that hybrid employees will be required to spend half their work time in person.

As of now, he does not anticipate making any policy changes for nonmanagerial staff this year.

They will join the majority of the city’s workforce, about 3,500 employees, who already perform their roles fully in-person.

City employees are responsible for a wide range of services, including maintaining parks, fighting fires, repairing infrastructure, and providing safe spaces for homeless residents.

I asked Wilson if he hopes this will set a new tone for private employers downtown.

He says this isn’t about increasing the foot traffic, it’s about making Portland better.

"If the byproduct is downtown foot traffic, is downtown vibrancy, you bet, because after we end on shelter homelessness, you can bet our next vision for the following year is about revitalizing our community, which starts with having a vibrant urban core," says Wilson.

https://katu.com/news/local/portland-mandates-full-time-in-office-return-for-city-managers-starting-april-2025

_______________
Stay up to date with our social media:

KATU on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katunews
KATU on Twitter: https://twitter.com/KATUNews
Subscribe to KATU on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmDTerxNU_gvCWLkIPkqghA/?sub_confirmation=1

Daily News Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFtHM_AbvnEUkd_YRTlZpGKkbczT5w062

For more information, visit https://katu.com/

Have a news tip? Send it directly to us:

Email us: newstips@katu.com
Call the Newsroom: 503.231.4222

KATU is a OR based station and a ABC Television affiliate owned and operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group. Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. is one of the largest and most diversified television broadcasting companies in the country today.

#KATU #Katu2abc #Portland #Oregon #localnews #oregonnews

Author: KATU News
Go to Source

News post in at: January 15, 2025, 3:00 am.

Visit Our Sponsor’s:
News.Science – News Science