Landlords and businesses are currently grappling with the huge task of ensuring the health and safety of users of their office space once a return to work is announced. Social distancing measures include a reversal of densification and split workforces. These measures will go some way in making users feel safe and confident in their workplaces, but with large numbers of office employees relying on public transport to get to work, operators have a key role to play.
TFL April 2020 figures reported a 90% annual fall in number of journeys. The sharpest fall was seen on the underground with journeys totalling just 5.7m. This comes as no surprise with latest advice suggesting working from home if possible and avoiding public transport. So what steps have been taken by operators? TFL have increased the number of services in operation, requesting passengers to wear a mask, installed 500 hand sanitisers across the network, signage on escalators asking people to stay apart and imposing limits on the number of people in lifts.
by Kuldeep Gadhary
Despite these measures, it seems not enough is in place to maintain social distancing on public transport. Staggering commuting times could help ease overcrowding situations however, this would require flexibility from businesses around employee working hours.
Operators have urged people that live within a reasonable distance of their office, to walk or cycle to work. Indeed, mobility data from Apple shows a steady increase in walking and April TFL bicycle hires data shows a 7% increase on March. It will be interesting to see, off the back of recent government advice encouraging people to walk and cycle to work, whether numbers tick up over the next month.
Of course, many will opt to use their own cycles and this could further be encouraged by cycle to work schemes by employers. Safety concerns often hold people back from commuting to work by bicycle, initiatives to overcome this could be widening cycling lanes and reducing the number of vehicles on the roads.
With just under 50% of the workforce working remotely according to the ONS, we expect the numbers returning immediately to the workplace to be low. When looking at this data by industry type, Information & Communication (85%) and Professional services (79%) boast the highest proportion homeworking.
Given Central London’s and the Big Six regional cities exposure to these business sectors, we envisage a slow and cautious return to the workplace thus, relieving transport services of any potential strain. Working at home is likely to be with us for the foreseeable.
Some businesses have been reluctant in allowing employees to work from home in the past. But this pandemic has forced 44% (according to the ONS) of the population to work remotely, an increase from around one in 20 who routinely worked remotely before the pandemic.
But is this working arrangement a productive one? Productivity levels in fact for some are higher than before with their entire workforce working from home. While up-to-date productivity statistics by sector are hard to come by, data from NordVPN shows in the UK the working day has been extended by two hours.
For now this seems temporary, but behind the scenes this pandemic could present opportunities for businesses to improve their performance. Many businesses are using this experience to reconsider what is ultimately required for the business to operate versus nice to have. Remote working is likely to be permanent feature of the future way of working.
Employers will look to roll out and push flexible working arrangements, encouraging more of their workforce to work from home. This will allow employers to abide by the new social distancing measures. Thus there may not be an increase in demand for space requirements, whether there will there be tenant space released back on the market it is too early to say. Occupiers will need space to incorporate social distance measures.
by Sukhdeep Dhillon
Future space requirements will depend on the function of the sector. Sectors such as information and communication, professional, scientific and technical activities, financial and insurance activities, and real estate activities are able to provide far more home-working opportunities. Retail, food and accommodation by their very nature are unable to provide working from home opportunities.
Despite this we will still experience a noticeable reduction in take up levels this year as businesses pause and take stock to adjust and align themselves to this new normal.
While many will perceive the shift to remote working as negative for the physical office we need not forget that remote working is what enabled many businesses to carry on whilst maintaining the health and safety of their employees. Looking ahead this is what will matter the most - the health and safety of the employees. This a great opportunity for many to make changes to the workplace and the ways of working. We may find employers potentially experiment with job sharing schemes or look to impose shorter working weeks to get through the pandemic or permanently. The time is right to re-purpose, re-focus the office, make it work once again.