One of the big post-Covid unknowns is whether people will return to big city centre offices or not. As I write in the Times today, the truth is that no one in government can be quite sure of what is going to happen.
The Government does have some levers it can pull if it wants to nudge people back to their desks. At present it is instructing people to work from home, advice that’s not due to be reviewed before 21 June. There is also the question of social distancing. If the one-metre rule remains in place after 21 June, it will restrict how many staff any business can accommodate.
There is a recognition that you can’t push people to crowd onto public transport until you can be sure it is safe
The government can set an example if it wants to. If it orders civil servants back to their desks post 21 June, many companies will take that as a signal that it is safe for them to do the same.
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