Hybrid work from home policies
remain the new normal

By Jake Spitzack | Staff Writer | July 2026

It’s been just over a year since a federal mandate prompted Gov. Tim Walz to enact policy requiring state employees to work in-office for at least 50% of their scheduled workdays. The change brought back about 18,000 of the approximately 45,000 state agency employees – 40% – who began working remotely in 2020 due to the pandemic. Whether the resurgence of workers has translated into substantially increased economic activity downtown is debated, and city boosters say more people are needed downtown – living, shopping, working – to help restore its vibrancy.

A recent examination of hybrid work policies among downtown’s largest employers show that most employees are still only required to be in the office two or three days a week, thus downtown needs to adjust to the new normal. Last year, the City of St. Paul required its roughly 3,000 people to work in-office at least three days a week, and Ramsey County, which has 2,700 people working downtown, mandates just two days.

A spokesperson for Travelers Insurance, one of downtown’s three Fortune 500 companies, said its policy is similar to the state’s: “We have maintained a steady workforce of a couple thousand employees in our St. Paul location, and they have the option of a hybrid work arrangement, meaning that most – depending on their role – have the flexibility to work from home up to two days each week. The hybrid option has been in place since employees returned to the office in 2022, following the pandemic, and we don’t currently have plans to make changes to our work arrangements. Our roots in St. Paul stretch back more than 170 years, and we’re deeply committed to the city’s success. We are making substantial updates to our campus and continue to work closely with downtown organizations to support broader revitalization efforts.”

Jeff Bakken of Securian Financial said the company’s 2,300 downtown workers come to the office at least three days a week and there are no plans to change that policy. However, with Securian’s recent $50 million upgrade to its campus, workers may want to return more often. Renovations have occurred in both the 400 and 401 Robert Street buildings. Work spaces were redesigned and a new fitness center recently opened. The final step are skyway improvements to the 400 building.

“The goal of all of this is for our 1 million square foot campus in downtown St. Paul to not just be an office, but a destination,” said Bakken. “Securian Financial has been headquartered in downtown St. Paul for more than 145 years, so it’s no surprise that we care tremendously about downtown’s future. There is a lot of momentum right now with revitalization efforts, and we are all in on it. We are committed to doing everything we can to make downtown St. Paul a vibrant place to work, visit and live.”

While bringing workers downtown more often would be welcome relief to local businesses who rely on their patronage, some employees aren’t keen on seeing any changes. The Minnesota Association of Professional Employees, a labor union representing about 18,000 state workers, opposed the State policy when it was announced, claiming that some employees were promised the option to work fully remotely when they were hired and contending people can be just as productive working at home. Teleworking also reduces the need for office space and parking, and allows for the hiring of skilled staff who live far away.

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