Productivity, skills, networking and learning are all helped by people working in groups in an office. Policy shouldn't stand in the way

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Toronto’s office real estate market is surging as financial institutions, the provincial government and other employers push their workers back into the office full-time. As the national head of research at Colliers puts it: “Demand is roaring again.” Though return-to-office policies have caused consternation in some quarters, including government unions, the impacts are overwhelmingly beneficial.

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The most visible economic effect is to the commercial real estate industry and to restaurants and the like near office towers, but the primary benefit of employers pushing their workers back into the office is very different. Returning to the office delivers productivity increases and a much-needed catch-up in human capital formation among the youngest members of the workforce.

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