NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — New York City Mayor Eric Adams said he met with about 100 chief executive officers on Wednesday and pleaded his case to bring workers back into offices.
As the delta and omicron variants fueled coronavirus cases in the last few months, many businesses delayed their returns to office, but with case counts now dwindling, Adams insists, "We need people back to work."
The mayor said small businesses and corporations must send a clear message to employees.
“We can’t send mixed messages,” Adams said. "We can't keep kicking the can down the road. 'We want you to come back in January, no come back in February, no come back in March.' It's time."
In a media briefing after delivering his budget proposal, Adams said he told business leaders it's time to bring their people in, stressing that the city can't thrive without workers back in the office.
"If you're an accountant and you're staying home and it impacts that local diner, that local restaurant, it's going to impact you. Eventually, you're going to lose your clients because if our restaurants close, if our small businesses close, who's going to give you the business?" Adams said. "So I think that that many of us are believing that we could stay home and not impact our financial ecosystem. No, we're connected. New York City can't run from home. We're all connected."
Adams said the time for a return is now.
"It's time to get back to work. The timeframe is now, I'm going to work. Now is the time for us to get back," Adams said. "I'm hoping within the next few weeks the CEOs map out a real plan of this is when you need to come back."
About 30% of office workers are in each day, according to Kathryn Wylde, who heads the Partnership for New York City.
Wylde said while hybrid schedules are popular, bosses prefer a return to the office.
"They're making that case, but they're not putting on too much pressure," Wylde said.
She said the biggest concern for businesses isn't COVID, but crime.
"Employers very much want to bring their people back," Wylde said. "How are you gonna make sure that we have a safe recovery?"
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