Ottawa's Federal Workers Are Getting Their Desks Back
Ottawa's massive federal public service workforce just got some welcome news: the government is committing to bringing back assigned seating for most of its employees, scrapping the shared hot-desking model that has frustrated workers since the pandemic era.
The federal government confirmed the shift away from its so-called "activity-based working" model — where employees had to book a different desk each day through an app — toward a more traditional setup where workers have a designated, consistent workspace.
What Changed?
The hot-desking model was introduced as federal departments modernized their office footprints during and after COVID-19. The idea was to reduce real estate costs and accommodate hybrid schedules, since not everyone would be in the office every day. But in practice, many public servants found the system chaotic — scrambling for seats, losing their sense of team cohesion, and spending time each morning just figuring out where to sit.
With the federal government's ongoing push to get employees back in the office more regularly, the lack of assigned seating became an increasingly sore point. Workers argued it was hard to be productive when you didn't know where your colleagues would be sitting from one day to the next.
A Practical Fix for a Real Problem
For the tens of thousands of public servants based in the National Capital Region, this is a meaningful quality-of-life improvement. Ottawa is home to the largest concentration of federal employees in the country, with workers spread across downtown office towers, Gatineau buildings, and suburban campuses from Kanata to Orleans.
Having an assigned seat means workers can keep personal items at their desk, build routines, and maintain the kind of team proximity that makes collaboration easier — especially important as departments try to rebuild workplace culture after years of remote-first policies.
It also reduces the daily friction of booking systems, which were often glitchy or left workers without a spot near their team.
Not Universal — But Most Will Benefit
The government's commitment applies to most public servants, suggesting some departments or roles may still operate under flexible seating arrangements. Specifics around which departments are included, and timelines for the transition, are still being worked out.
Unions representing federal workers have long pushed for assigned seating as part of broader return-to-office negotiations, so this move is likely to be welcomed at the bargaining table as well.
What It Means for Ottawa
For a city where the federal government is one of the dominant economic forces, shifts in how public servants work have ripple effects — on downtown foot traffic, restaurant lunch crowds, transit ridership, and the general vibe of the core. A more settled, consistent in-office presence could be a modest but real boost for Ottawa's downtown businesses that have struggled with unpredictable office attendance patterns.
It's a small but symbolic step toward normalcy for a workforce that's been navigating a lot of change.
Source: CBC Ottawa
