Only 1 in 5 staff in UK cities back in workplaces, think-tank says

 

FILE PHOTO: Canary Wharf is seen from Greenwich Park, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), London, Britain, June 3, 2020. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Only 17% of workers in British cities had returned to their workplaces by early August, underscoring the challenge for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to steer the country away from its coronavirus shutdown, data published on Thursday showed.

 

The Centre for Cities said the data, based on mobile phone signals, showed no increase in the footfall of workers going to city centres between late June and the week starting Aug. 3.

 

Johnson last month encouraged people working from home to get back to their workplaces to help the economy recover from its 20% contraction in the April-June period, the biggest fall among big developed economies.

 

“The costs of office closure are becoming clearer by the day,” Carolyn Fairbairn, director-general of the Confederation of British Industry, an employers group, said.

 

“Some of our busiest city centres resemble ghost towns, missing the usual bustle of passing trade. This comes at a high price for local businesses, jobs and communities,” she wrote in an article for the Daily Mail newspaper.

 

Separate figures published by Britain’s statistics office showed almost one in four businesses in accommodation and food services and arts, and the entertainment and recreation industries rated their risk of insolvency as moderate or severe.

 

The Office for National Statistics also said footfall in mid-August in high streets, retail parks and shopping centres had increased to around 70% of its level a year earlier.

 

Vehicle traffic levels on Aug. 24 were just six percentage points lower than in early February, before the pandemic struck.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-08-27

 

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Absolutely no reason for competent workers to return to the office. The one good thing about the pandemic has been the realisation that remote work forces can prosper and the acceptance of being remote is now clearer than ever.

 

A major incentive for Thailand to recognise and benefit from.

 

Change is coming.

19 hours ago, Jack Hna said:

Absolutely no reason for competent workers to return to the office. The one good thing about the pandemic has been the realisation that remote work forces can prosper and the acceptance of being remote is now clearer than ever.

 

A major incentive for Thailand to recognise and benefit from.

 

Change is coming.

Totally agree.  Where I live most people commute into the City where they work for banks or financial institutions.  Since lockdown the vast majority have been able to work from home.  At first there was some resistance but as time went by and they realised they didn't have to go through the daily commute and had more family time, most I know are much happier.  They now talk about probably "going in" once or twice a week and the rest of the time working from home.  It will become the new normal and that is a good thing.

 

It's a no brainer for those who can do that.  It also goes for solicitors, accountants and even estate agents.  So much can be done on-line these days.

Will make the move for the City of London financial services to either Frankfurt, Paris or Dublin even easier.

People can work from home while the nameplate gets moved to an office within the EU.

Instead of going on holiday, the lazy pricks need to get back to work. I am ashamed of my lazy countrymen and what the UK has become.   A hot bed of wonk.  

The move towards remote working was already well under way and the COVID crisis has quickened the pace. While there are many positives in such a move, it is not all good news. As the article says 1 in 4 businesses are in danger of failing, a proportion of which is no doubt linked to the relative lack of workers.

 

If this transition in working arrangements is not managed correctly, there is a real risk that our city centres will become wastelands.