The head of strategy at London’s Canary Wharf Group has said he expects workers to flood back to offices over coming months, as the government’s plan to end lockdown progresses.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4 this morning, Howard Dawber said the group expects workers to start returning from the end of this month, and for the office economy to be back in full swing over the summer.
“From 29 March onwards I think we will see people starting to return to the workplace,” he said. “Particularly as we get towards June when things like bars, restaurants, services, hairdressers open up I think we will start to see people back in offices and we are expecting significant numbers back over the summer.”
The government set out a roadmap for lifting lockdown completely by June, with non-essential retailers and hospitality firms reopening over the spring. However, there remains no hard and fast date for the reopening of offices at the time of writing.
Canary Wharf Group, whose district accommodated 120,000 office workers before the pandemic, is planning for an eventual return to 100% occupancy, he added.
This is despite many businesses such as HSBC, Lloyds and NatWest planning significant cuts to their office footprint, as they move towards a hybrid working model.
Dawber added: “It may well be that some people may have a desk at Canary Wharf but choose to work from home one day a week or a couple of days a month, and that’s a good thing.
“I think now people are missing that opportunity to collaborate and just see their friends in the office and to do all the life admin things you can do in a city centre.”
Dawber’s comments will come as a boost to office operators, who are eager for workers to start getting back to normal.
Robin Lester, director at office management firm Metspace, welcomed the statement. “Whilst businesses must continue to follow government guidelines and keep staff safe and happy at work, there are many innovative ways that businesses can explore reopening their doors and welcoming teams back ahead of 21 June,” he said.
“The current climate has enabled businesses to reassess what’s important to their company culture and staff. Notably, striking a balance between home and work life and most importantly ensuring staff feel safe returning to the office.”
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