CBI chief Lord Bilimoria: Workers must return to office ‘as soon as possible’
The president of the CBI has called on workers to return to the office “as soon as possible” today.
Speaking to TalkRadio, Lord Karan Bilimoria said: “We should be getting back to work wherever possible, as soon as possible, as safely as possible.”
Read more: Rishi Sunak: For young people, working from home is no substitute for office
The calls come as chancellor Rishi Sunak urged young workers to get back to the office as it can be “really beneficial” to their careers.
Lord Bilimoria did highlight that “the world of work [had] been changing” even before the onset of Covid as it gears more toward using conference and video call technology in place of face-to-face meetings.
The government has dropped its working from home guidance and predicts the return to the office would be “gradual”. The decision to ask staff to work from home now predominantly lies with businesses.
However, firms have been taking a more cautious approach than expected, with some integrating remote working in the long-term.
A recent YouGov poll showed 24 per cent of business leaders would allow all their workers to work from home at least one day a week even after Covid measures end.
Other sectors have been more eager to welcome staff back through their office doors. Financial services firms are keen for workers on their trading floors to return as soon as possible due to the difficulties in complying with regulations whilst working from home.
Read more: Back to the office: Business groups echo Sunak’s concerns about young workers