to think WFH is going to permanent for most who have switched?

[elmouno]

I was chatting with someone earlier and I said that most people currently working from home will be working from home now permanently. There will be no switch back to the offices in the city.

The other person disagreed and said people will have to go back. If they don't too much of the city economies will collapse which will affect the overall economy (i.e. no coffee, lunch, rail tickets, cleaners etc) that it would be catastrophic.

I'm guessing that businesses will be forced to change, but maybe not? Am I being unreasonable to assume that all the people now working from home will be doing so permanently?

I work for the NHS in a big city and have been told that I will be working from home permanently now. Quite pleased actually. Will certainly save on petrol 👍

I think some will, but most will do 2/3/4 days a week from home.

Watch the tax implications.

In our office the new norm is likely to be 1 or 2 days a week in the office on a rota, we are reducing the no of desks I've heard from about 500 to 200. There will prob be teams who are in more because of the role they perform but for most of us it will be mostly WFH.

Depends. We will definitely be going back in, on a gradual basis. And flexible working with some remote working.

My mum works for a big company and they have no plans to go back ever. They will hire out a space if and when required.

No I agree with you.

I don't think anybody from my company will be going back to being office based. And the company will save a fortune on office rent.

I personally think coffee shops or sandwich shops need to adapt to this 'new normal' and get innovative.... mobile coffee vans for example.

We have a mix at the moment but we can't have everyone in because it buggers up social distancing. Suspect I'll be WFH all winter.

I don't think our boss is going to reopen our office for the sake of the the sandwich van and the coffee shop. Our company is saving a huge amount of money and WFH is working really well. We won't be going back to office working and the majority of us are very happy with that.

YABU to assume that all the people working from home now will do so permanently. Lots of businesses and public sector departments need people on the ground in client facing roles. I don't think there will be that many places entirely giving up their office space to work 100% from home but obviously certain jobs lend themselves more to this than others.

I think people will go back. Remote working all the time is quite lonely, I am fed up with my house also being my place of work and I think it would be difficult to start a new job remotely.

My work have said get back to the office now (for office based people), All of my team are home based so finding this really annoying!

The coffee shop thing is very based on big cities with areas where no-one lives. My town centre is busier than ever and now DH and I are both at home and not paying for petrol we're having lunch out regularly. We use to take packed lunches to work every day.

I can't wfh but many at my company can. I've said to colleagues that I think there'll be some employees that we barely see ever again

I think many will wfh and just come in once or twice a month. The flip side is that rush hour is much lighter now

I agree, maybe no 100% but WFH is going to become the norm.

It is going ruin 100s of businesses and cause a lot of redundancies. But companies don’t operate to keep a local coffee shop open. Staff WFH is saving the companies and their staff a fortune.

Why on Earth the government is ploughing ahead with HS2 is beyond me.

The economy will adjust... reports suggest it’s already started it will just move from being so city focused to being more spread out. The problem is the rich don’t want this as they invest in city’s.

I'm on phase 1 - going in 1 day a week and WFH the rest. Despite some normality going into work feels like a disruption.

No, I really don't. I think most of the peope determined that it has worked well are people towards the end of their careers who've benefited from the kind mentors and coaching you can ibky get when you work in the same office and don't seem to see any need to give anything back. They also live in houses with plenty of space to wfh.

It doesn't work for the apprentice who needs to be alongside colleagues, for the graduate from an international university whi has come to the UK "to see the world", for the company whose customers are finding response times much slower, the inexperienced staff with no one to support them, no "learning with Nellie" etc etc.

It's great for people at the end of their careers, with no further ambition. It's not good for anyone else or their employers.

Back in the day, we had the van come round mid-morning and everyone ran out to grab a cup of tea and a bacon butty. Bit like an ice cream van, but for workers needing ten minutes fresh air (etc). There are enough food vans around, people just need to get mobile. No more parking up and people coming to you - just mind the boiling oil as you’re due at the corner of Park Road in ten minutes.
They’ll need different bells though...

I think most people will go back into offices but it will be for two or three days a week rather than the full five.

reports suggest it’s already started it will just move from being so city focused to being more spread out. The problem is the rich don’t want this as they invest in city’s

Which is why the government is pushing for civil servants to go back to the office.

Anything not service-based will need a site (obviously manufacturing is reduced, but research, pharma, tech, design, etc). Ancillary staff to that type of industry will go back to the office too, IMO.

I personally think coffee shops or sandwich shops need to adapt to this 'new normal' and get innovative.... mobile coffee vans for example.

This. Businesses have been doing this for years, they just need to expand it now or start for those who still haven't. If they don't, they will suffer the consequences in afraid.

A business is not going to spend money they don't need to, just to save another business that isn't theirs. That's just stupid. Especially when there's a good alternative.

Ahh do you know what I think your right @FinnyStory. My Dad has worked at home for years and has been going on for just as many years that it's the way forward and that he can't understand why everyone doesn't do it. I expected to really enjoy it, but by July I voluntarily took myself back into with 3 days per week (perfect mix!) and am much happier for it, boyfriend and most (but not all) friends would love to go back if allowed. Interesting point

DH's company needs to keep its office but most people will be working from home most of the time. They're based in a business park on the outskirts of a small town, nowhere near any coffee shops, so all that will be feeling the pinch is the microwave.

I bloody hope not. Even though I know some are still on furlough I am sick of not getting through to banks, insurance companies and other organisations.

I don't see how companies will be as efficient. Zoom isn't the answer to everything. Not everyone has the right space, or furniture to wfh and it should be interesting when the tech goes down and it can't be fixed remotely.