When will Britain’s workers return to the office? - BBC Newsnight

[@CarlB_1962]

Work from home if you can - undeniably better for the environment and, for many people, being away from soul-destroying office politics is a blessed relief.

[@lionessnala2000]

So true 👍

[@Ryan-ks1vh]

All of you just want to work and pay less out of your wage. Fair enough. But that is not how the economy works. Think of others as well as your self!

[@fabienmerteuil6226]

So basically what she’s saying is that, we need to go to the office so we SPEND!! Has nothing to do with productivity 🙄

[@moenlighted7681]

Why closing down small businesses if spending is that important. March is no different than October

[@elvis2495]

The UCL professor never said that. If, anything, she is more for us not going back to the office full time. The two men(especially the phones4U guy) and the hypocrite CBI lady dailing from home, seems to suggest we should be going back to the office.

[@tokonjudo]

@@elvis2495 so the question is how did this idiot miss that after watching it. no wonder everyone argues eh! You nailed it.

[@backupcobos5311]

I still don't understand one thing: why do we have to the office in order to spend? Even though when we work from home, we can go out to eat in a local town. We can also spend more on games, movies, and wine! there are a number of ways in which we can spend our money. You know, money is limited. so we want to take back control of our money!

[@moenlighted7681]

@@backupcobos5311 because the donors,councils,capitalists,etc are missing out on the paycheck. Reality has hit them. All this fearmongering and when it hits them the virus is suddenly gone. Guess the working class aka the poor don't matter.

[@mogznwaz]

Flexibility is the key, less time in the office, rotated time, not no time. But good to see the big rich property developers get a dose of their own medicine. A drop in rents and property values would be good for everyone.

[@wleon4068]

Could not agree more. How the tables have turned. That is one good thing to have come from this virus.

[@DrumToTheBassWoop]

mogznwaz preach the truth🙏

[@SeanKarleone]

office = depression + stress.

[@aliceinkwell5751]

We are all fed up of wasting so much time in our lives commuting to work, they can't stop us. The rich will have to adapt to what we want.

[@elishadring9272]

the rich will have to adapt allot of changes

[@dvidclapperton]

The big corporations and the bosses are feeling the pinch when they previously thought they would get richer and richer still through No Deal brexit and the coronavirus or no coronavirus.

[@wleon4068]

@@elishadring9272 You have hit the nail right on the head there.

[@sexyshevas]

Yes GIRL! You said it! They WILL HAVE TO adapt!

[@peterwilliamallen1063]

You want to bet Alice Inkwell, either when this pandemic is over you go back to the office or look for another job if there are any.

[@Tom-vy3cb]

Not sure what they are talking about my shop is still busy in fact we have taken more than we did last year. I think it’s the greedy millionaires worried about losing money on their office buildings

[@megja1812]

The big corporate land lords and car park owners who have been ruthlessly ripping hard working people, taking all the fi am profits, who employed next to no one are shaking right now. Can’t sell there building either.

[@Tom-vy3cb]

@@megja1812 exactly and that’s what it all comes down to! Shops in my local town are doing just fine.

[@MS-di1rw]

I have saved 2.5 hours a day of travel working from home. I've put more of that time into my work and physical and mental health. My productivity has dramatically increased. I do miss some of my colleagues though. Work provides me with some social encounters. So, yes, it will be difficult having to go back to an office building.

[@peterwilliamallen1063]

Yes but if your start time is 08:00am at the office to 17:00pm those are the hours you work, to get there is called travel to work time. Working from home leads to laziness.

[@jono501]

All panel interviewees dialling in from home. CBI head dialling into call from home. "Everyone needs to go back to the office". Lmao

[@badhorse84]

You want them to be at the office close to midnight?

[@westwyc]

@@badhorse84 Good leadership is practising what you preach.....lead by example.

[@jono501]

@@badhorse84 Typically the "pre-recorded" newsnight interviews will be conducted in person. That CBI interview would usually be done at their offices (in fact, even the BBC lady was talking to her from the BBC office).Ironically, the Linklaters clip which appeared just prior (and said they would increase WFH) was filmed in their office lobby (which shows it can be done, the CBI are simply feckless hypocrites). The panel interview is almost always done entirely in person with everyone in the studio. The exeption being if someone is located in a different country.

[@donbriggs9128]

Does anyone 'dial' in anymore? Funny how old terms remain, like, I have that record, even though it's actually digital. I'm taping a film, again digital. I'll save that on a floppy, usually meaning a flash drive. Etc

[@custossecretus5737]

Do we really want to go back to how it used to be? Stuck in traffic jams, packed like sardines on a train all trying to commute to work at the same time. The hassle, the expense, the stress, the waste of life and pollution is just not worth it. Not when you compare to working from home, the money and time saved by not commuting. Money that will be spent elsewhere by employees. Even businesses can prosper, not having to rent expensive office space in city centres should save them money too. Money they could recycle into the business. Office owners could also prosper, turning those offices into affordable apartments, residents who would spend their money in city centres just as much as employees would. It’s a win win for everybody by not going back to how it was. Have we all forgotten how terrible is was before Covid?

[@dvidclapperton]

@09AAnderson But not all.

[@wleon4068]

@09AAnderson Not many do now. Things have changed...FOR THE BETTER! This virus has seen to it that change comes...whether the rich like it or not.

[@DrumToTheBassWoop]

W Leon next they will be taxing working from home as legitimate commercial tax, great.

[@darkness3058]

BEING IN AN OFFICE IS WAY MORE DEPRESSING THAN AT HOME

[@peterwilliamallen1063]

Yes because in the office you can't ignore the phone or watch TV all afternoon.

[@foamige]

So why isnt the CBI woman back in her office?

[@AchtungEnglander]

The idea that people are "more productive" at an office is pure bullshit. Have you been in an office - 99% of the time people have their heads down staring at their laptops, often with the headphones on, or talk about football at the coffee making area. Not many "sparks" there. Today we have instant messaging like Slack or Teams and if you need to bounce of ideas you can make a quick call in a matter of seconds. No distractions, no rushing to catch overcrowded trains, more time to work on projects at your time / pace. The office is dead. Long live the new office. The only people fearing this new reality is middle management whose job is now meaningless or companies that paid a fortune for a rent for an empty office. Dynamic offices only occur in "marketing" departments and even then that only rarely happens. Stop bullshitting people.

[@user-iz9co4qf6z]

Depends if you're young and can't afford a 2nd bedroom to work out of. Most young people live in shared houses so they will have to sleep and work in the same room which is not healthy

[@AchtungEnglander]

@@user-iz9co4qf6z Save the money you would otherwise spend on transport and use that money for a gym membership ?

[@Tom-vy3cb]

100% agree I’ve done more working from home than I would have in the shitty office sitting with people I don’t even like

[@user-iz9co4qf6z]

@@Tom-vy3cb i take it you're not too popular around the office then?

[@Tom-vy3cb]

@@user-iz9co4qf6z no really popular thanks

[@sevenscounty409]

Who is CBI representating here, the landlords?????

[@AchtungEnglander]

yes. They come out of the woodwork when companies on the footsie face losing money but are nowhere when the rest of the economy or small companies suffer.

[@jono501]

She is dialling into the video call from home as well... what a joker

[@RiseAgainst38]

Precisely.

[@javman817]

The irony is that she is doing this interview from home as opposed to using transport or public transport and maybe buying some food on the way to the studio and consuming goodss and services ... whihc is hypocritical is it not.

[@thegolem797]

So, according to Carolyn Fairbairn, part of the function of humans is to keep sandwich shops viable?! This is a hark back to the Dickensian picture of office workers scribbling away, with an overseer on a raised seat making sure they don’t dawdle.

[@taurus8263]

I am much more productive working from home. I can start working at 6:00 or 6:30 in the morning, which never happened when I worked at the office. Also, I am having much less distruptions at home, peace and quiet here instead of loud, huge, shared office space. I work with people from around the world, from China to Canada, so I attend meetings online anyway. For me working from home is a success.

[@domasma]

@@baggs739 what is wrong with you? Honestly, relax, it's not all about you and the fact that you had to continue working your job as usual. You sound so bitter and pathetic...

[@domasma]

@@baggs739 you seem to be the one who's doing most of the moaning throughout the whole comments section here buddy

[@heliotropezzz333]

@@domasma Let him moan. He's not had it easy over the past few months. Moaning is a good release.

[@heliotropezzz333]

@@baggs739 I haven't had it. I'm sure I wouldn't have survived if I had but I'm retired thankfully and don't have to take many risks. I guess a lot of people who can work at home will want to because it saves time and money on commuting. I feel for those who have to be at a workplace and feel at risk. They are often dependent on how good their employers are at providing protection. Those who've worked through the whole thing are heroes in my mind.

[@mackabee6674]

Well said Taurus - I will do everything I can to continue working from home, much more productive than spending time commuting to a noisy packed office. Don’t listen to the moron moaner

[@walterkaiyuenpang3556]

Yes, I have an office ' on my boat ' , as I am in Sardinia on holiday ..... 😂😂😂

[@Sophia-bf5wm]

Walter Kai Yuen Pang hahha! Good for you mate 😊 keep working smart. Haters gonna hate, they just jelly

[@chickdem]

@@Sophia-bf5wm he's quoting what John Cauldwell mentioned

[@TheShepTV]

and thus working remotely

[@gaz9957]

"working"

[@AchtungEnglander]

@@TheShepTV Hoist with his own petard

[@travelwell6049]

I have always hated my open-plan office since we moved premises two years ago and would work from home as much as possible anyway. I, for one, am in no hurry to return to face-to-face working.

[@johnmajor9564]

Remote working could be a solution to London’s housing problem?

[@iAmTheSquidThing]

Yes. I don’t see a future for mega-cities. With no need for people to go into the office at the same time every morning. There’s no longer any reason for people to live so tightly packed together.

[@hannah60000]

London isn’t densely populated because of the City or Central London. Majority of the City workers in London live and commute from outside of London. “Actual” Londoners don’t spend most of their time in the City or Central London.

[@lolll3360]

🎯

[@RealOneTruthTeller]

This push is about money for landlords and businesses - sod the health implications of people using public transport with ZERO social distancing

[@wleon4068]

Absolutely. This is not about the health of people at all. It is ALL ABOUT keeping the rich in the lifestyle that they are used too. This virus, has changed all that now...FOR THE BETTER!

[@stevebrizzle]

I adore working from home. I no longer have to do the three-hour round trip daily commute from zone 6 to zone 1 in London, I'm saving a small fortune on the money I used to spend on lunch and snacks in the coffee shops, and I am much more productive at home because I don't have the frequent interruptions for chit-chat that I used to get when working in the office. I hope this is the beginning of a new normal. I feel sorry for the people in the service industry who are losing their jobs but markets and economies evolve. Encouraging people back to doing unhealthy commutes to congested city centres in order to work less productively in noisy offices for the sake of saving some coffee shops and restaurants is not worth it.

[@hannah60000]

That’s one perspective. However, the ramifications run deeper than “saving some coffee shops and restaurants”. The long term impact on all business as a result will be telling.

[@lolll3360]

HOURS saved not traveling,I'm not having to pay extra for my Meals or deal with annoying colleagues ,and I'm just as productive if not more from home . Stop trying to Leach money from us and listen to the people it's simple really.

[@AchtungEnglander]

The CBI is for the free market right ? Or is it for socialism when rich businesses are in threat ? Where was the CBI criticism of main street bailing out the banks in 2008 resulting with the previous recession. If capitalism can work effectively with remote working that reduces pollution and stress and improves family time, apparently that is bad now because Costa and the dry cleaners lose money. Businesses go under all the time, don't they CBI ?

[@sdrawkcabUK]

These are probably the same people who eagerly pushed for shutting down the mines and privatising bloated state-owned companies in the 80s-90s, which saved the gov. a lot of money, but never mind the thousands that lost their jobs.... many of those areas have never recovered. But when it comes to big banks and firms in the City.... nope, has to preserved in aspic. Can't let all the millions invested in London offices by property tycoons go to waste can we.

[@AchtungEnglander]

@Pangolin Steak & Bat Gravy tax pays for social cohesion, a fool can see that. So why than is the poor forced to pay tax because they have no choice but for rich companies it's "optional" because revenue generated in the UK is recognised in Luxembourg. That is reality fine, but when it comes to bailing them out with subsidies from tax money THEY did not pay their fair share than that is the ultimate piss take, would you not agree. Read Angrynomics to get a better understanding of why Capitalism 3.0 could result with more extreme right/left wing governments. The polarization we are living in at the moment is just the beginning. It is estimated multinational companies are sitting on trillions of cash in offshore accounts doing nothing except buying more and more stock. I am no socialist by any means. I run my own company but even I think the situation now from large corporations is beyond the pale

[@sdrawkcabUK]

@Pangolin Steak & Bat Gravy Yes, because successive governments have focused all the economic growth into one corner of the country and let the rest rot. The north wouldn't be full of 'dumps' as you put it if we had a better distribution of wealth and economic centres across the regions, as they do in Germany, Canada, Switzerland, Korea etc.

[@johncastle2013]

Pangolin Steak & Bat Gravy They also avoid thousand if not millions of pounds of tax’s pays money in tax havens, where SME don’t.

[@Tom-kp8hh]

I feel this shift needed to happen a long time ago. There’s no point fighting it like a crisis I feel it’s probably better to manage it like an opportunity. If it will lead to increased work life balance, lower house prices and a chance to spread prosperity to long forgotten high streets and towns. . . Then I’m all for it. I thought this government was about rebalancing and “levelling up”

[@mummys_boy_]

voice of reason. And a huge opportunity to redefine and redevelop the square mile which is generally dead anyway for two out of seven days a week.

[@nathaniliescu4597]

The Tory donors own many office spaces in London, they will lose tens of millions if people work from home permanently. That's all the government care about.

[@wleon4068]

@@nathaniliescu4597 You are absolutely right about that.

[@Tom-vy3cb]

I’m sorry but this is all because the rich are worried about losing millions on their greedy office leases. My company are not renewing their lease we are all working from home for good now which has made us all much happier

[@Broomehall]

To quote BBC Newsnight "UK workers are more reluctant to return to work in offices than in any other European Country" I wonder why? ..... it's strange, because if you speak to those that have a great career, earn really good money, have a dynamic lifestyle, love the City and all it has to offer both in the the workplace and outside, they can't wait to return ? ....... whilst others are doing everything they can to resist ? ......what a flightened ? Lazy? reactionary ? woke loving society we're becoming. If we're not careful we will wipe away any status the City of London once held on the world money markets, along with the tens of thousands of jobs that revolve around it

[@eganrafferty9726]

Broomehall. Brexit will see off any status the City of London once held.

[@blahblah4129]

Property tax = £££££££££££££

[@lavienestpasunlongfleuvetr2559]

@@Broomehall You're suggesting that people who don't want to waste at least an hour of their day crammed into a packed tube like a sardine, to get to a polluted city centre and sit in steel and concrete box of an office all day, buying shitty, sugar and additive-laden lunches and not getting home until well after dark (and often having to take the office home with them in the form of a God-forsaking smart phone) in the knowledge that they'll have to do this draining routine DECADES, LAZY? That lifestyle (polluted environment, not enough daylight or time spent in nature, not enough time for leisure, unhealthy food, being surrounded by strangers when we're made for life with a tribe, not enough sleep or movement and chronic stress, to name but a few) is so far removed from the way of living that humans have evolved for, that it's now making us sick and, in some cases, killing us. That lifestyle is unsustainable - it hurts humans and the planet, and it needs to be a thing of the past. People aren't 'lazy' for wanting to move away from it. Highly successful 'city-types' may want to return to the office because they feel more important when they can flash their wealth and professional titles to people who earn less than them; they can't do that working at home. If anyone's lazy, it's you - learn to speak English and use proper punctuation and shut up while you're at it.

[@Broomehall]

@@lavienestpasunlongfleuvetr2559 Another total idiot that thinks the world can be a utopia, where we all go vegan, love one another, save the planet and there's no more wars, you absolute disalutional moron, see the world as it is .....NOT as you would wish it to be, it's a harsh, unjust, unfair, unreasonable and irreconcilably greedy planet, with some good bits in between if you're lucky, this is how we have evolved and how we are, mans inhumanity to man ..... grow up and get real you silly little person, money makes the world go around and " always" will, like it or not.

[@gaz9957]

I literally don't care about your city centres. I'm not risking going back to the office so that Frank's Launderette can stay afloat.

[@billkohixx2712]

Yeah phuck everyone else as long as i'm ok 👍

[@RiseAgainst38]

Ask the CBI lady if she will get on a packed train for over an hour! I see she’s doing the interview from home.

[@larrygerry985]

The paradigm shift has happened. The economy will adjust to this new reality. We should embrace working from home

[@wleon4068]

You can call it...'THE NEW NORMAL'!

[@macred]

UK workers would like more European style worker rights

[@jeffrejr1]

Never going to happen. We'll be losing more rights

[@piedwagtailrameau]

Office is fine but spending over 1.5 hours commuting each way on a smelly train and bus - no thanks.. I’d rather commute to my table which takes just under 30 secs now

[@AWLOP]

I won't be willingly sacrificing my mental health and work-life balance for "camaraderie" or...."spark".

[@Djclippz]

Working from home is great! I won't be going back to the office. I can still spend from home. Adapt to new changes. The old way is no more.

[@danielhdidouan]

This was a good panel discussion. Professor Susan Michie was really on point.

[@blahblah4129]

She made all good points imo! I love how she encourages communities. Those men only focus on careers and money while their wives are probably stay-at-home moms. Easy for them to say 'ppl should be encouraged to return to the offices'. And many men do want to be present in their kids' lives by working from home yet are scared to voice that opinion because they know that's a career suicide amongst these dinosaurs.

[@PP-rl5sn]

Nice to see the Director General for CBI preach about working from the office whilst she herself is at home 🤔🤔

[@wleon4068]

Hypocrisy at its finest, eh?

[@nathanio103]

Very few people are actually “concerned about covid” when returning to work..... they are concerned about the cost implications, including Fuel, Childcare, food etc. It’s simply cheaper to work from home. People were “sooo concerned” about covid until you could get 50% off your dinner on Mon, Tues & Weds and then all of a sudden, magically it wasn’t an issue anymore!

[@retropursuit992]

So what should happen for those who need to work at a fixed place? Should they get a pay rise to subsidize there travel and time?

[@nathanio103]

Dale knowland no, absolutely not.... it is just an honest observation.

[@retropursuit992]

@Nathanio so why should our front line workers continue with there current career when they can retrain to a career that allows them to reap the benefits of working from home? It doesn't seem like a very fair trade off in my opinion.

[@nathanio103]

Dale knowland I appreciate your point... but our frontline workers have the choice to make whatever career decisions they wish. If they are lacking in experience or skills to perform other more “lifestyle suitable” jobs, then that is a personal growth issue. If they lack the funding then that is a much more difficult issue.... but a personal issue non the less.

[@retropursuit992]

@Nathanio just because someone is a manual worker does not mean they aren't skilled but it is going to hurt anyone who works manually or is thinking about it. Why would you pick that career path if it's far more beneficial to work from home? It's seriously going to hurt the economy or skilled manual workforce will have to paid a lot more.

[@lkm3s]

"Creative environment where people spark off each other". I don't know where he works, but the creative sparks he speaks of are as likely to rear their head as a 10 headed unicorn. Most workplaces just aren't that dynamic.

[@Tom-vy3cb]

100% agree my team have actually worked better with each other from home! This is why I’m not re mewing our office lease

[@lkm3s]

Tom that’s great to hear, I think productivity will soar, let’s see how this changes the workplace. Exciting times!

[@sdrawkcabUK]

True...this is classic management bs. I spent a good third of my time in my last job dealing with office politics issues, none of which would have occurred if I'd been working from home.

[@Motivation-no3mo]

I think offices need to realise that this is the new normal. The fact is that the average person has enjoyed being at home away from the office. They talk about a 4 day week... Well, how about 2 day week in the office and a 3 day a week from home. That would improve people's life, that would give them a better work/life balance and increase their productivity as well as improve the environment, cut down on traffic. If governments use their heads they will realise that this new way of living could be a God send.

[@adrianosler1682]

the govt wants you to go back because abandonment of the office system is un calculable in this sector financially truth is in over 70% of cases there is no need to return it can be done at home

[@heliotropezzz333]

Just think how much people are saving on time and train fares.

[@TheGlobalfrog12]

Profit talks, and all of this was inevitable ..Covid has just sped up the process

[@garysaunders2511]

I don’t think it matters where people work from there office or at home as long as they do there job

[@SpectatingBystander]

UK working..... commute, environment, hours worked & workplace satisfaction is the worse in Europe. Plus people are finding that they're saving so much money why would they go back?

[@carwynj.thomas5057]

Welcome to the new reality. The only city centers which wont be effected are the tourist towns everywhere else should adapt quickly because things are not going back to the way it was.

[@user-qi5vj9zy9t]

Wish my management would watch this video. I loved working from home. Wake up 5 minutes before logging on to morning meeting call wearing just pants and a t shirt and then lounge about on couch all day.

[@Tom-vy3cb]

Why would we want to return life’s better working at home

[@josephhenry9924]

Tom life is about trade offs. Sure many of the work from home brigade like it that way because they have more time for leisure activities jogging tennis. etc. But indefinite remote working will result in them losing their full employment protection rights and becoming freelance gig workers competing with global candidates for future jobs.

[@Tom-vy3cb]

@@josephhenry9924 how would we lose our rights working from home? I work in a company of 600 people so far only 9 have asked to come back to the office. 9 out of 600 people!

[@pascoecharlie]

@@josephhenry9924 What are you talking about. There is no such thing as a - Job for Life any more whether you are Self Employed, Privately Employed or Publically Employed. Nor will any Protection Rights prevent you from having to sign-on for Universal Credit once work dries up.

[@raquetdude]

The current format of offices are not efficient for work, they have not been efficient for a long time now. An alternative needs to be found.

[@pascoecharlie]

There is a full solution. - Work from Home in your own Home Office.

[@user-iz9co4qf6z]

This should hopefully shift jobs out of london and lower house prices around there

[@Doodo981]

D house prices are high in London because you get payed far more when working in London

[@user-iz9co4qf6z]

@@Doodo981 hopefully now it's possible to work away from the office these highly paid jobs won't be contained to London pushing house prices down to hopefully affordable levels

[@hannah60000]

It’s not that simple. London isn’t just the City and Central London. Most of the workers in the above AREAS of London don’t actually live in London nor are they from London (born and raised).

[@user-iz9co4qf6z]

@@hannah60000 I lived and worked there for 7 years and I wouldn't agree that is true in my experience, but a few years ago now before gentrification and EU immigrants fully took over and pushed people who were bored and raised further out

[@pascoecharlie]

@@Doodo981 Not True. I was paid London rates of pay by a company that was located way out within a Countryside area. It all depends upon what Skills your employer requires and how much he is willing to pay for your services. House prices in London will crash when unemployment kicks in and when others relocate to Countryside areas and then start working from home.

[@HS-fm9kv]

Not convinced that productivity has increased. Hours have certainly increased as there is no off switch!

[@heliotropezzz333]

Productivity can increase with fewer distractions. The off switch is literally switching off the computer and the phone, unless your contract requires you to keep them on outside of office hours.

[@AchtungEnglander]

Make your own off switch. Come 6pm switch off your laptop. It's not exactly difficult

[@BibleBelieverUK]

This was always going to happen one day and it’s taken a virus to instigate this. I think this will become the new norm, full stop, and will make us far more resilient in the future. The UK has led such shifts in working for centuries and this is no different.

[@trildi]

Hopefully the city centre as we know it is a thing of the past. I hope for the '15 minute city' concept that's being trialled and implemented in some European cities - work, live and have fun all withing the same neighbourhood. It would reduce unnecessary spending, traffic time, pollution, gentrification and it would spread businesses evenly across a city.

[@iAmTheSquidThing]

Maybe people could still commute into work a couple of times per week. But with everyone working from home (or nearby) most of the time, hellish rush hours would no longer exist.

[@BritishMaverickk]

If a job can be done at home it should be. Regardless of the pandemic. we should learn from this.

[@youtubeyoutube6341]

She says, being interviewed from home 🤣

[@radjew]

"We"don't need to do anything to be fair. Flapping much for your millionaire mates? Boo hoo

[@morsmagne]

I hate the expression “sparking off of each other” - Most office talk isn’t about creating wonderful ideas. Small talk is more common.

[@hannah60000]

@1:40 However, town centres have been thriving throughout. Usually, they would only be buzzing on the weekends (mainly Saturdays).

[@iAmTheSquidThing]

I reckon the age of mega-cities is over. There will be an exodus of people moving back to smaller towns. And that’s not a bad thing.

[@dvidclapperton]

@Andy Rice London will cool down with a much lower population living and/or working there. But the try government don't want it to happen and want to see temperatures continuing to rise despite claiming they're party of the environment. Boris hss suddenly turned very brown after the tories won the election in December.

[@user-iz9co4qf6z]

Will this also result on a change in our living conditions, moving away from building and living in 1 bedroom flats

[@jamessmith1652]

I don't believe those figures for people already returned to work in other European countries.

[@walkerhuang]

I see , isee . they want to find an excuse for recession.

[@jackwilson5513]

Technology has changed the way we work, Covid 19 has changed where we work.

[@iAmTheSquidThing]

This change is probably permanent. And so it should be. There is so much work which could be done more efficiently from home, or from a local remote working space. All we need is to refine the communications tools and get used to using them. With people going into the office less often and less regularly, they can avoid the stress of commuting. Rush hours will be less extreme. Cites will be less congested. Transport infrastructure will require less peak capacity. And property will be more affordable. There are so many advantages.

[@pascoecharlie]

The REAL Point you have missed is that NO Offices need to be in any Cities at all once you work from home and any Offices that may exist will be very small. In reality, you don't really need any Offices outside of your Home Office, and all you would need to do is to go directly from one Home Office to another if you need to see someone in person. The Office Block culture is now redundant and dead.

[@Inthemixmedia]

What happens when you build an economy on people shopping. By the end of July 2020, debt was £2,004.0 billion, (2 trillion) or 100.5% of gross domestic product (GDP).

[@Northlightwonderer]

What these reports usually miss is that while city centres will undoubtly suffer in the short term, more flexibility and remote working means better population health as people have more time and money (not paying thousands to communte and wasting years of our life in traffic) for exercise and cooking while lowered pollution will cut ill health which already puts a stain on our health sytems. Add to that the extra disposable income that could be spent on the local high streets and shopping centres that have been dying a dealth for years supporting more localised economies and job creation as well as local workers hubs. The government could be looking at a 'Central to local' type scheme which helps city centre businesses relocate to outercity areas. You may also see a knock in effect of housing prices being more even between local and centralised locations. This is absolutley our time to build back better.

[@thatwasclassic]

The CBI: "you must go where we want and do as we want."

[@truth-hurts3089]

Bravo Susan. Common sense at last

[@juliandilling2702]

Afraid of going back to the Office but go to France for a holiday

[@gavinbissell8847]

It's not just the actual workers in the office there are also all the other employees further down the ladder like the cleaners, it guys, the gophers the cafeteria staff the people getting work experience the mail guys and such

[@moenlighted7681]

Government: Quarantine, Social distancing,no intermingling between households,face masks. One way system. Closure of so-called essential businesses. No vacation or travel. Self isolation. Fear mongering. 6.5million jobs gone. 11million on government assistance.

[@blahblah4129]

These two men are so out of touch.

[@emmalouisejay387]

It's not just that. England is not a collectivist society.

[@TheMatthewfusion]

Working from home is much harder for new starters and trainees such as myself. Much easier to communicate, ask for help in offices than over Skype

[@trickygoose2]

This is true and I think employers should consider that trainers and trainees should be in an office together for a certain amount of time.

[@magyir]

"I've got an office on the boat"....great quote

[@CarlB_1962]

Please, will anyone who supports the right to work from home (where it’s possible) consider signing government petition 318057 and ask people they know to do the same?

[@Sherlika_Gregori]

A draconian man in the middle. We won’t go back the way it was.

[@miguelb6282]

Pretty sure Phones4U went bust? Idk if he’s even credible on a subject like this lol

[@fabienmerteuil6226]

Also people can’t afford to live close to the office(unlike other countries) so longer commutes.. the time spent on the tube.. it lights up my life 🙄🤣

[@thelifeofjools8384]

Ah right....so Covid isn't airborne after all...good to know that we can all safely shuffle back into a busy office then. 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@thelifeofjools8384]

@LoveofVelvet yup....the type N95 ? Try buying one.....or perhaps 10. They need changing frequently..... I know because I've worked with airborne pathogens for years. A properly fitted N95 mask would be very effective in an office environment.....but they're not available for purchase.

[@godisnotinvisible]

Some workers- cleaners, builders, garbage collectors etc- have been back at work for months now.

[@paulw1570]

So when the eco system of manufacturing, shipping & mining towns fell apart 70's to 90"s that was market forces & everyone there had to adjust. Now its the same for London..it gets baled out & we've all got to go back to offices. As they said..genie out of bottle

[@GenoAtkins]

So much for being a libertarian Bozza! Demanding people go back to work is very socialist of you

[@heliotropezzz333]

???

[@heliotropezzz333]

@Ben Benjan I don't know about neo. He's always been a conservative and is libertarian in terms of economics and belief in freedom of the individual above all, but only for the rich. If the workers' freedom threatens the profits of his rich friends, their freedom is disposable.

[@GenoAtkins]

Ben Benjan I am free-market, tolerant, broadly libertarian (though perhaps not ultra-libertarian), inclined to see the merit of traditions, anti-regulation, pro-immigrant, pro-standing on your own two feet, pro-alcohol, pro-hunting, pro-motorist and ready to defend to the death the right of Glenn Hoddle to believe in reincarnation. -Boris Johnson, 2011

[@marshalllucky]

Companies are saving too much money, just think how much electricity they are saving, offices with hundreds / thousands of computers, lights, heating, air conditioning, cleaners, security staff, restaurants , even toilet rolls and paper towels. Huge offices will be replaced by hubs where staff can visit for meetings only.

[@stuartfitch7093]

Why is there this assumption people have a choice? I work in heavy industry and are required to go in every day as its a manual job and I am required to clock on and off each shift or I don't get paid. We have been attending work right throughout the entire pandemic as we were classed as essential workers. We even had our holidays postponed by management during the national lockdown and we had to carry a letter signed by our employer just in case we was stopped by the police. Our employer has only just restarted allowing people to take holidays again. I had to work about six months without one holiday day and now every employee has a huge backlog of holidays they've accrued during the time we was not allowed to take any.

[@iAmTheSquidThing]

Of course. People will still have to physically commute to factories and workshops. But office work can mostly be done remotely.

[@sdrawkcabUK]

@@iAmTheSquidThing true. and People like Stuart or police officers etc. could maybe get some sort of tax break etc. which work-at-homers don't get to make up for it.

[@charles-vq6sd]

depends on your occupation

[@billwestsmith1559]

As long as they are being paid to stay at home either by furlough or working from home, they will continue, saving transportation costs and travel time. Some businesses will save money not having to pay offices and parking facilities. Many businesses will be considering having smaller offices and workers only coming to the offices once or twice a week. Obviously, manufacturing requires the workforce to attend where the machinery required for production is located. However, these new policies are likely to become the 'norm' for certain occupations.

[@backupcobos5311]

there are lots of benefits when working from home compared to working in the office, such as less pollution, more flexible. Most importantly, our money will be well-spent. it is because we can choose to pay more for movies and films and pay less for train tickets. Even though we are working from home, we can still go to local shops to buy food to boost the local economy!

[@linapesz313]

The big Change is here

[@jimmyjemal8802]

Crazy. What about the efficiency in not going back to work. Less wasted time and expense traveling. Hours of wasted hours. What about quality of life.

[@thenodfather]

I think Dame Carolyn is somwhat talking out her ear. It can be much more practical for people to work remotely. Offices can be an incubator for illness.

[@thenodfather]

@LoveofVelvet Shops and offices aren't the same. I don't work in an office anymore.

[@elwynjones763]

We must think long term (20-50years ahead) and NOT go back to business as always. The virus has pointed to benefits - .home-working, cleaner air, bluer skies and maybe we should encourage this social revolution by extending home study, home work, less short haul flights, more devolved and more local activities.. So maybe smaller and more accessible schools within walking or cycling distance from home. Devolve and decentralise business to reduce commuting and car use. More local electric bus and tram services. The business man interviewed was conservative, while the lady was progressive and imaginative.

[@bmg2507]

Remember when Bojo tried to threaten people to go back 😂

[@mali1128]

🤣 the bare faced cheek of the dame to lecture the rest of us whilst wfh.

[@darkness3058]

AN OFFICE IS CROWDED NO FRESH AIR AND GETS VERY HOT HOME IS FRESH AIR AND EAT WHENEVER QND POOP WHENEVER YOU WANT IT'S FREEDOM

[@Ben-db5re]

Our city centres aren’t ghost towns! Mrs CBI

[@hannah60000]

Exactly. People are confusing one area of London the City, which is a ghost town outside of working hours with the whole city. Local town areas in London have been thriving and not only on the weekends!

[@kahuna3901]

I miss being in the office. I miss the little catch-ups you can have with people. I love work from home, but I don't think that means indefinitely. I am happy for once maybe every two weeks to take a day at home, but ultimately I want to be back in the office with people and having that face to face social aspect that really boosts mental health. However to be clear, whilst there is no vaccine or no game changer in covid 19 treatment, I am happy to do my bit and WFH to help protect those with vulnerable immune systems. That is the right thing to do for the moment. We are likely going to have a second wave so I think going back full time to the office is not on the cards this year. That however doesn't mean we won't be back in the first third of next year. Moreover, going forward I think WFH should be encouraged more, I know people who really are benefitting from this for their mental health. Furthermore, it's good for the environment. I think however that there has to be a balance, we can't go too far in one direction over the other.

[@kahuna3901]

@Mack GE1 yeah exactly. Like I am a data analyst. I actually changed to this role from another. So I am learning a new job and trying to meet colleagues from being at home. I am fed up. I have spent the whole day by myself Monday to Friday since the lockdown started. My partner is away in the day. It's horrible to be honest. I have no real social outlet, no face to face interactions. It really plays on your mental health. Specially when my job is really quite technical, I am just looking at numbers, writing code all day. I can't wait to go back to the office

[@sdrawkcabUK]

If you're someone whose mental health is improved by dealing with colleagues at the office, count yourself lucky. Many of us would be glad to see the back of office politics, b*tching, sniping, gossiping and getting distracted by the inane conversations of others

[@kahuna3901]

@@sdrawkcabUK I agree with you completely. I think it should be about what is good for you as an individual. Like if you are the type of person who wants to work from home then good, that's your choice. But j think we should all be allowed to make our own choices I feel

[@EvilHazeEdits]

I agree with UCL women. 100% correct fuck economy people are dying and why go to office if it can be done from home. Saves money 💴

[@Keithlfpieterse]

Let's not put the cart before the horse. This discussion should be put on the agenda once a vaccine becomes available.

[@jakebarton3341]

Yeh but schools are opening with the same amount of students. Why shouldn't offices??

[@jakebarton3341]

@A Volpe University and colleges are open age mate with adult students. Explain that one pal

[@jakebarton3341]

@A Volpe lol fair enough

[@trickygoose2]

@@jakebarton3341 The needs of School pupils to continue their education are surely greater than the needs of office workers who are working from home to go to an office?

[@jakebarton3341]

@@trickygoose2 i think healths more important than education in all fairness

[@johncastle2013]

If you want a comparison between office in Europe and London or other major British cities. Then you have to compare the trust that the office worker has the system to keep them Covid free. The government has blown the confidence of the people by not having a good testing system. No the your average office worker want hard evidence about their safety before going back to work.

[@ClareEvolBiol]

Such an obvious but not mentioned explanation... saving 20% of salary normally spent commuting... saving hours a day on trains and underground... and more time at home with family. Shock ... we are deciding to stay at home.

[@HM13895]

Why is it assumed that everybody works in an office?

[@vanhamgee]

Offices are a hub of many illnesses and diseases. Every time I suffered a cold or felt unwell I got it from the office from my colleagues. People go into the office when they are unwell because they believe in that stigma that they will be fired for phoning in sick. They come in unwell to infect their colleagues. I am not going back to the office if I can help it.

[@SocotraBoy]

This guy really talking about needing to get people back in the office and when asked if he is working in an office ...goes "yes" ....on my boat in Spain. lmao.

[@LaRusso]

You should be able to work from home permanently with the optional choice of going in once a week.