The Hartford to start bringing employees back to office Dec. 6

Property-casualty insurer The Hartford Financial Services Group will start bringing workers back to its offices in Connecticut’s capital city Dec. 6.

Senior leaders at The Hartford will start returning to the office in early December, and “substantially more employees” will begin working out of its headquarters by Jan. 18, according to Suzanne Barlyn, a spokesperson for The Hartford. 

About half of The Hartford’s employees worked remotely before the pandemic and will continue doing so, Barlyn said. Other workers will operate on a hybrid model, spending some days in the office, and others remote.

“As we gradually return more employees to the office, we are embracing a new work model that fosters flexibility,” Barlyn said. “The office will continue to serve as the primary workplace for certain roles, such as business essential functions.”

Barlyn said The Hartford is requiring employees to report their vaccination status by Nov. 5, but didn’t say whether the company will require vaccination for in-office workers.

“As we prepare for a phased return, we are awaiting more information about the federal COVID-19 vaccine requirement guidelines for large employers,” Barlyn said.

The insurer, which employs more than 6,000 people in Connecticut, had previously planned to return workers to the office by Oct. 4, but postponed that indefinitely amid a spike in COVID-19 transmission stemming from the delta variant. 

Business owners, developers and elected officials have expressed a desire for large employers in Hartford’s downtown to start bringing workers back to the office, as many businesses rely on revenue from office workers.