Fairness and equity in hybrid work: insights from the Ontario Public Service

Hybrid work—alternating between office and remote locations—has become the norm across Canadian public services, yet questions remain about whether it is implemented fairly. In 2022, the Ontario Public Service (OPS) mandated three in-office days per week, then announced in August 2025 that all employees must return to the office full-time. Based on qualitative content analysis of OPS subreddit data and semi-structured interviews with Indigenous and Black public servants, this paper explores perspectives on hybrid work, focusing on fairness and equity. It examines access to hybrid arrangements, consistency in implementation and enforcement, and impacts on recruitment and retention. Findings reveal concerns about unequal access, inconsistent enforcement, and disproportionate burdens on racialized public servants, along with implications for recruiting and retaining talent. Fairness and equity should therefore be central considerations in public sector hybrid work and return-to-office policies, given their impacts on recruiting and retaining a diverse government workforce.