Office life changed exponentially during the pandemic so what should you expect when you return to the workplace?
This week saw a flood of workers returning to offices with the Evening Standard reporting figures from Transport for London showing a 24% increase in passengers on the tube network and 56% rise in bus travellers compared with the previous week.
More than half of London businesses have asked their staff to spend at least part of the week at their desks from this month, but some workers have yet to return to the workplace.
In some cases, workers resisting the return are being lured back to the office with perks ranging from free food and ice-cream to cash bonuses. Lucky PwC employees are even being offered a cash incentive of £1,000 as they switch to a hybrid working model this month, which will see them spending two to three days a week in the office.
The majority of us cannot expect such perks but an end to working in isolation and the opportunity to reunite with our colleagues is incentive enough. Face-to-face interaction has been something we’ve all missed over the last 17 months.
Despite the lifting of Covid restrictions, businesses still have a duty of care to their employees and will have carried out Covid risk assessments in their workspaces, as well as implementing various Covid-secure measures such as hand sanitisers and social distancing signage.
At BE Offices we have long established procedures in place in our centres, all of which have remained operational throughout the pandemic.
Cleanliness and hygiene remain a top priority, and our inhouse cleaning teams continue to sanitise our space and perform regular intensive deep cleans as well as monthly fogging, a treatment which replicates that being used by government bodies, the NHS and TFL.
In terms of added incentives, BE Offices clients can also look forward to a free pizza lunch to help reunite their teams when they return to the office, as well as a continued programme of free community events, some still hybrid, but increasingly in person, including free breakfasts, monthly themed drinks and much more.
A guide to supporting a safe return to our workspace is available here.
