The property-casualty insurer had planned to reopen its downtown offices on January 18.
Travelers chairman and CEO Alan Schnitzer told employees in an internal letter obtained by the Courant and confirmed by the insurer that "we will need to hit the pause button on our return-to-office plans once again."
"I'm sure your next question is, 'Until when?'" Schnitzer penned. "I wish I could tell you something. We won't be able to answer that question until we have a better idea of how the pandemic will progress."
Leaders in Greater Hartford's business community said they weren't surprised that Travelers had delayed returning to the office yet again.
"When you see New York voluntarily shutting down a lot of things, you know it's a real thing we're dealing with now," said David Griggs, president and CEO of the MetroHartford Alliance, a regional chamber of commerce.
According to Griggs, the recent surge in infections adds to the uncertainty that has persisted throughout the pandemic. He claims that just when it appears that the coronavirus is on the decline, there is an unexpected turn, such as the omicron variant.
Going forward without a return-to-work date appears to acknowledge the reality of not knowing how many more times an increase in infections or a new variant may occur.
"Setting a date almost feels like a fool's errand," Griggs said.
Travelers employs approximately 7,000 people in and around downtown Hartford and is a major contributor to workday foot traffic, which fuels patrons for downtown restaurants, shops, and other businesses.
Hartford's top officials said Tuesday that they are in regular contact with employers of all sizes and recognize the need for individuals to make individual decisions about when they return to work.
"While the omicron wave has created some uncertainty, we hope that more workers will be back downtown sooner rather than later in the new year if people get all of their vaccinations and workplaces implement mitigation measures," Thea Montanez, the city's chief operating officer, said in a statement.
Schnitzer acknowledged the "false starts" in returning to the office, which began in the early fall, and wrote that he hoped employees would be ready to return when "the time is right."
Schnitzer stated that all employees who require it will be given at least a month's notice before being expected to return to work.
Travelers' rescheduling in the wake of the shocking recent increase in COVID-19 infections is the latest among the city's corporate employers, who are closely monitoring the pandemic's progress.
The Hartford Financial Services Group, a property-casualty insurer with about 6,000 employees in Connecticut and thousands at its headquarters in Hartford's Asylum Hill, announced earlier this month that it would postpone the return of senior executives to the office. At the time, a general return to the office was still scheduled for January 18.
The Hartford did not immediately respond to an email asking if there had been any changes to its January return to office plans. The Hartford's "few hundred" senior leaders were supposed to return to the office earlier this month, ahead of other employees, but that was pushed back due to the omicron variant. However, there had been no change in plans for all employees to return on January 18.
Some downtown residential developers see the return of office workers as critical because the workers provide a solid foundation for restaurants and other businesses. As a result, those restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues are seen as critical to attracting more people to rent the growing number of apartments under construction.
Schnitzer expressed optimism for the future and a desire to return to the office in his letter. He mentioned Moderna's announcement this week that its booster shot is "highly effective in preventing infection, severe disease, and death from omicron," which follows Pfizer's announcement earlier this month.
Schnitzer encouraged all employees to get vaccinated and get a booster shot.
"In the meantime, our office will be open for those of you who wish to visit," Schnitzer wrote. "For the time being, we are restricting access to employees who have confirmed in Workday that they are fully vaccinated."
"Omicron isn't the pandemic's first curveball, and it might not be the last," Schnitzer wrote. "However, you've demonstrated extraordinary resilience, dedication, and professionalism with each new twist and turn since March 2020."