Exclusive: Londoners flow back to office, but only in mid-week

Londoners are flowing back to the office in their droves as the pull of the city centre draws workers back in.

According to exclusive data obtained by City A.M.., the number of people going into London offices climbed 31 per cent over the last month.

Westminster and Southwark drove the rebound in trips to the office, with both boroughs experiencing a 28 per cent boost in office attendance.

22 per cent more office trips occurred in the City of London in September compared to August, research by IWG, the office operator, found.

City employers are reframing their business models to incorporate both remote and in-person working. Banks such as Santander and Citigroup have requested employees be in the office at least two days a week.

Despite the overall uptick, most workers are choosing to stay at home on Mondays and Fridays and only commuting in during the middle of the week.

IWG found mid-week visits to the office were up 50 per cent over the last month, compared to just 12 per cent and 20 per cent on Mondays and Fridays respectively.

One investment bank has reportedly dubbed those who come into the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays as “twats”.

Commuter numbers are around 35 per cent higher on a Thursday than the start of the week, according to Transport for London data.

The pandemic engineered a seismic shift in the working practices of white collar workers across the country, with many conducting trades and overseeing deals from their kitchens and bedrooms.

However, the Financial Conduct Authority warned City workers this week to expect home visits so the watchdog can verify activity is complying with regulation.

“It’s important that firms are prepared and take responsibility to ensure employees understand that the FCA has powers to visit any location where work is performed, business is carried out and employees are based (including residential addresses) for any regulatory purposes,” the FCA said. “This includes supervisory and enforcement visits.”