Manitoba Hydro is scaling back remote work for many of its employees, requiring more time in the office starting this fall.

Starting Oct. 6, employees on hybrid schedules will be expected to work in the office four days a week — Tuesday through Friday — instead of three. Monday will remain an optional work-from-home day for eligible positions.

The Crown corporation confirmed the details in an email to CBC News.

The change eliminates Wednesday as a remote work option, a shift Hydro says is aimed at improving collaboration.

“This change is being made for better in-person collaboration and communication,” spokesperson Peter Chura said, adding some teams have already moved to four in-office days “with great success.”

The move is drawing pushback from at least one union representing Hydro workers, which says many employees are unhappy with the decision.

“People aren’t happy about the changes taking place,” said Daniel Schroeder, first vice-president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 998, which represents some Hydro employees.

“There’s a lot of displeasure … fellow co-workers are not happy with the change.”

Schroeder said the union is looking at whether it can challenge the decision, including working with other unions at Hydro.

“We are going to be going back to the corporation… seeing if there’s a way of … giving us back that Wednesday,” he said, noting the October implementation leaves time to respond.

Schroeder said a key concern is the impact on work-life balance, something many employees say improved under the current hybrid model.

“The work-life balance is the key thing here,” he said.

“We don’t know what the long-term effect is going to be yet. It just feels like we’re going back to pre-COVID, with Manitoba Hydro wanting us to be in the office more full time.”

Schroeder said the change could also bring new costs for workers who will have to commute an extra day each week.

“There’s also additional costs… having to get full bus passes… maybe monthly parking,” he said. “It’s not only the work-life balance but a financial commitment as well.”

Schroeder said the change could also affect Hydro’s ability to attract and retain employees, particularly those hired since the pandemic, who have come to expect more flexibility.

“This could very well impact employee retention,” he said. “That’s also been something that would be an attraction to people wanting to come to Hydro.”

While Hydro says the move is intended to strengthen in-person teamwork, Schroeder said the explanation hasn’t fully convinced workers.

“It wasn’t very clear as to the why… other than collaboration,” he said. “It just doesn’t seem like there’s enough there to justify [the change].”