According to an exclusive BBC poll, the majority of people do not expect employees would return to work full-time following the coronavirus epidemic.
Workers would “never return to offices at the same pace,” according to 70% of the 1,684 individuals questioned.
The vast majority of employees stated they would like to work from home full-time or at least part-time.
Managers, on the other hand, expressed fear that the workplace’s innovation would be harmed.
Half of 530 top executives polled for the BBC by polling firm YouGov thought that workers staying from home would harm both creativity and teamwork, compared to only 38% of regular people.
Big-name executives at companies like Goldman Sachs and Apple have rebuffed demands for increased flexibility, with the former even labeling working from home a “aberration.”
However, managers and members of the public polled by the BBC agreed that extending work-from-home rules would not hurt productivity or the economy.
More over three-quarters of individuals feel their supervisor will enable them to continue, according to the study.
Not Everyone Agrees
Maisie Lawrinson joined TalkTalk in July as part of the government’s Kickstart program. Jobcentre work coaches link young individuals on Universal Credit aged 16 to 24 to new, temporary jobs under the system.
While Maisie is grateful for the six-month contract, she is eager to spend as much time as possible in the office in order to create a good first impression.
“I’ve never had a job where I had to communicate with people online or via email,” she adds, alluding to her previous retail work.
“I’m more productive at the workplace because it’s a more professional setting and you get to meet people,” she continues.
She started the job remotely and only recently met her coworkers in person for the first time.
“We just had team drinks, and I was able to meet everyone for the first time. It was great because I got to meet everyone in person and get a sense of who they are instead of just their email address.”
She claims, though, that she will continue to work from home on occasion, maybe near the end of the week.
More than 60% of those polled said that without face-to-face interaction or in-person mentoring, young people would struggle to advance.
As experts have pointed out, young people under the age of 25 were particularly severely impacted by job losses or decreased hours during the beginning of the epidemic.
According to customised study conducted by news outlets, the pandemic may have exacerbated certain disparities while improving others.
Half of the employees polled said that working from home would benefit women’s careers, since childcare responsibilities would be less of a burden.
This Is The New Normal
Antony Howard, who works in procurement at a big military business in Manchester, is an eager home worker.
For the past 16 months, he’s discovered several advantages to signing on remotely, including avoiding costly coffee shops and reducing commute time.
“My physical and mental well-being, as well as my carbon impact, have never been better. I’m not travelling 92 miles every day, and I’m more productive as a result “he declares
While he’s been saving money by purchasing more locally, he is concerned about the company’s newest employees.
“We had 17-year-old apprentices come in September who had never worked on a construction site before,” he adds.
“Hybrid working is a fantastic scenario for me as a 57-year-old, but for the younger ones just starting out, they need that office experience, that structure.”
Despite this, he expects the epidemic to “recalibrate” the workplace. “I think this is the new now,” he adds, rather than being a novelty.
A Return On The Horizon?
As coronavirus restrictions loosened, Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom suggested a “gradual return to work” during the summer. People in the remainder of the UK are still being encouraged to clock on remotely if at all feasible.
And for office workers, working remotely full-time may once again become the norm.
Sajid Javid, the Health Secretary, told MPs on Tuesday that urging people in England to work from home again would be part of the government’s contingency preparations if the NHS was put under significant strain this winter.
Prof Andrew Hayward, a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, noted that the regulation may “significantly impact transmission if we get into difficulties.”
“The most essential and efficient means of limiting the transmission of the virus is not to come in contact with other people,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Wednesday.