Atlanta City Employees Return to Office in April

The city of Atlanta is taking cues from the federal government and requiring its employees to return to the office.

City staff received a letter on March 10 detailing that they’ll be required to work in the office at least three days a week starting April 10, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. In July 2023, the city employed about 6,000 people.

Requirements vary based on position, and staff for ATL311, the city’s non-emergency services line, will remain fully remote.

The move comes about two months after President Donald Trump’s executive order requiring federal employees to return to offices. It’s been five years since offices closed due to the onset of the pandemic.

Some of the country’s largest private employers have also called on their staff to return to the office. AT&T and Amazon have mandated employees to return to in-person work five days per week.

The wave of employees returning to offices across the country is expected to cause traffic, as it did in Atlanta earlier this month. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention employees returned to the agency’s Atlanta headquarters, causing traffic backups at the CDC’s main campus.

The recent trend of cutting down on hybrid work models is expected to be a boon for struggling office markets.

Office vacancy in Atlanta is 27 percent. The flight to quality has increased demand for newer office buildings, leaving older properties struggling to retain value.

The gap in demand between the city’s old and newer office buildings is striking. Office buildings constructed between 2016 and 2021 have an average occupancy rate of 92 percent, according to JLL. These newer properties feature desirable amenities like walkable locations and up-to-date facilities, attracting tenants looking for premium office space.

–Jess Hardin