So who is working today that couldn’t previously?

[Hairydilemma]

I’ve seen lots today about people going back to work, trains busier etc. But I’m not sure who can actually work today but wasn’t able to previously.

I suppose there are people who work in garden centres and golf courses, and people who supply those. But that doesn’t account for people on the tubes etc.

If lots of people were going back to offices then I’d understand, it’s them, the office cleaners, receptionists etc. But if people have been able to wfh until now, they should still be - I’d assume that goes for the majority of office workers.

Shops apart from supermarkets etc are still shut. Ditto most cafes.

Who have I forgotten that’s accounting for this big return to work?

[Xenia]

Loads of office jobs can't be done from home and plenty have lawfully worked throughout.
A few doors from me is a golf course unfortunately now all opened up so it's as busy as the centre of a town out there now and if we add the many people who choose my road for a walk I have never in this peaceful quiet suburban road had so much going on around us. The sooner they are all back to work the better. At least there is no noise from play time at the school at end of road at present or school traffic.

[FizzyPink]

I think estate agents are now going back as you’re now allowed to go and look round homes for rent and purchase whereas you couldn’t before so all the ones I know had been furloughed

[Tc83]

Not sure. Traffic wasn’t noticeably heavier this morning

[bagpusscatpuss]

I don’t get this either!

[FizzyPink]

DP is going back tomorrow, he’s a private tennis coach. However he’ll only be allowed to do 121 sessions and there’s a lot of strict rules about coaches and players not touching the same balls and having a tennis court free in between each one being played on

[Peggysgettingcrazy]

sorry, typos are awful in that post.

[Peggysgettingcrazy]

No becayee pots if companies closed even though they didnt need to.

We did. We took 3 weeks to sort all the H&S and new gudience. We worked the HSE. Then slowly reopened constantly monitoring it. Each week we slowly bring people back.

I still don't have all of my team back.

My bill place didn't have to close either. But they did the same and were planning on opening Monday, just passed, well before any announcement was being discussed. They have extended their operating hours to have less people in per shift.

Many of the people returning this week, already had it planned, they just needed to sort things out

[NotEverythingIsBlackandWhite]

"Thank you both - hadn’t really thought about office jobs that can’t be done from home but there must be some."
But wouldn't they have just continued to work as they were allowed to? I can't see they would account for a dramatic increase on public transport.

[Hairydilemma]

Peggy yes you’re right, there’s a definite knock on effect from opening just one office or building which will have an impact.

[Peggysgettingcrazy]

Just thinking about this more. Our field teams have been going back for the last 3 weeks. So its not applicable for this week

But our work is in h&s. If more places are open, they will have more work which equals more travel. When they were closed we couldn't get in, not was it an immediate requirement as no one was there.

We now have lots of work booked and even looking at open new departments as our large customers have asked us to help in their supply chain and provide items, we haven't before. So we are travelling more sendimg equipment out more.

Even if a building has 10 people in, our work needs to start again for H&S and insurance purposes. So even opening a building for a few people, means other people need to work. So even if 99% of a company are working from home, the 1% will create work.

Never really thought about how many people are impacted by one building being open or closed.

[IntolerableCruelty]

Lots of businesses stopped because their business dried up rather than because they weren't allowed to trade and some with welfare of staff in mind.

Now things have gone on so long, lots of them were planning to return after the BH anyway having accumulated sufficient, though reduced, business to do so or established safe(r) ways of working or adapting their business model to cater for clients in lockdown.

For example, construction was never forced to close sites but there was a lot of public pressure for them to do so.

[Hairydilemma]

Thank you both - hadn’t really thought about office jobs that can’t be done from home but there must be some.

And supporting industries to those that have remained open.

[Peggysgettingcrazy]

Some office jobs aren't able to wfh. Those people were probably furloughed, not wfh for the last few weeks.

My bil works in making materials for the construction industry. He went back Monday (was already going back before the announcement). He doesnt drive, but is taking a bike to work instead.

[linelgreen]

The car valeters are back so glad to see them today