To ask you to speculate when we’ll get back to work

[sunshineanddaffodils]

I know it’s like asking how long is a piece of string but we can’t wfh forever. What are your opinions?

I think June for most jobs. But some of us can and do wfh forever.

I've no job and my industry has collapsed.
It will start up again but me and millions of others will be after alot less availability of jobs.
I might have to look at fruit picking perhaps instead. They need lots of those.

My management is working on 12 weeks, having realised the initial 4 week plan was perhaps a little too hopeful.

Still working from home, doing as much as we can.

I wonder if government will look at practical issues not related to virus. If schools and child care are closed the fall back child care for a lot of people is grandparents at least some days a week. Quite a few will be 70 so three months or over or have medical conditions which means parents currently reluctant to use. It’s a planned headache over the summer.

I think late May things will start to get back to normal and most things up and running by mid July.

I am the same rare I got made redundant not even furloughed really hoping to get back into work soon but I suspect thousands of others are in the same position and most companies will be freezing recruitment while they recover from this. It is a very frightening depression situation to be in

I think schools etc won’t go back until September

Key workers (poor people) are forced to work. As these people die off the unemployed can be forced to take a key workers job in hospital or supermarket.

Meanwhile management can work from home on full pay, or not work on 80% pay.

Slavery

I’m still working from home full time now (used to wfh part of the week anyway). I reckon schools will go back in Sept now, after summer holidays. Going to be a long 6 months!

I think after May half term a lot of workplaces and schools will be back although absence will be high. I would expect schools to close again after October half term and a second lockdown until January 2021.

I’m not management though! Just office based and work on computer so easy to do from home (well 90% ).

I wonder if some employers might decide WFH is a good thing? DP and his team are finding it works really well and that they are much more productive. My team are fine with it, and most of us aren't in the office much anyway.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if employers realise that they can make sginificant savings in premises costs if they had everyone for whom it's feasible working from home. That could be an attractive option, espcially in city centres where office costs are high.

It would have other benefits too, reduced pollution from commuting, saving in travel costs for staff, etc.

Sometime in June.

Currently wfh (minus correct equipment and going to office 2x week to log on. Am technically keyworker) so in a sense it hasn't stopped for me. I really really hope I'll be back in office properly from June. Am missing my colleagues.

Insancerre. Lucky you, many people aren't and are stressing about money.

OP it depends which jobs. Once a phased easing of restrictions begins then some jobs will go back to work depending on the industry. I anticipate those working in bars, restaurants, gyms theatres and non essential shops will be the last to go back, that could be anytime from June onwards, most likely July / August.

It’s what happens afterward as that will be interesting, when we go back into lockdown. Not sure how soon that will be but I imagine before the autumn ready for the second wave.

Actually I am NOT a key worker but work as a production operator in a non essential factory on minimum wage. I am still forced to go to work in conditions that really arent great

Not all those who are still working are key workers. We are as poorly paid as most key workers yet we are forgotten about

I think any return will be phased. It could be some sectors of business, it could be geographical, eg those areas with relatively low infection rates first, or by reduced hours, gradually increasing.

Geographical phasing would make it easy to monitor the impact on infection rates, but I'm not sure I'd want to be in the first test area.

I also think that they won't ease up until the new case curve has been on a downward slope for at least a few days, and that they won't want it to start on or close to a bank holiday weekend, as that's more likely to lead to a lot of people meeting and mingling as they celebrate.

Mid-May is a possibility, if the figures are good enough, but I think June is more likely. And I' m not sure that there'd be any merit in reopening schools just for 3-4 weeks before the summer holidays start.

My other half is also on minimum wage, also production operator for non essential factory has been furloughed.
Not always management that has been furloughed and not all people still having to work are key workers

Can I add, I expect as the scale of the lockdown unfolds the government will have to change the financial help they are giving individuals as the uncertainty will chaos a lot of issues.

There are many people in financial dire straits who will need aid very soon otherwise the country will quickly spiral into a shadow of its former self.

I don't think things will start to go back to normal until mid-May.

As for going back to work, it depends what you do for a living?

Based on the 12 week shielding for vulnerable people, I think June. Hoping school will be back after the May half term (so beginning of June).

Otherwise, I think many places wouldn't have enough staff (as some are shielding or live with people who are shielding and so won't want to go out), there will be high teacher/pupil absences from schools and people who rely on grandparents for childcare will struggle.

I am living in hope that we get back to some sort of relative normality by Summer.

Who knows though. Some think schools won't reopen until September. I think the current lock down will be extended by another 3 weeks at least.

Meant to add that although I am not physically in my workplace (school), I and my colleagues are still very much working. Just remotely.

They’ll have to send children back before adults can go to work. Won’t they?

@tonglong I earn £8.75 an hour and I'm at home not working on 80% pay. Not all "poor" people are key workers, a lot of us are non essential workers that have been forced to stop working. Cleaners, beauticians, hairdressers, factory workers making non essential goods.

I hope that I will be back at work by June or it's more than likely (according to my employer) that the small business I work for won't recover.

DS is military. They are still working but have been told their usual jobs will begin in September.