No place like home for many workers
BORIS was not long ago talking about returning to normality by Christmas, a display of optimism which has disappeared beneath talk of renewed lockdowns and threats of brutal age discrimination. To state the bloomin’ obvious, an already crashed economy is not going to be rejuvenated by stop-start measures. It also seems curious, to say the least, that shielders have been told that they may come out of isolation just as the Government is fretting about the R rate.The PM considers it crucial for churchgoers to wear masks but gave 10 days’ notice, so last Sunday we could all still go safely without them. Bonkers, bonkers, bonkers.
However, the more important question was raised by my colleague, Leo McKinstry, in an excellent article last week querying whether normalcy would ever return to our working lives. Apparently, millions of Brits now actively prefer to work from home, saving significant amounts of both time and money by not commuting. Many can fix their own hours and I suspect plenty of working mums have discovered the joy of being home with the kids instead of using expensive childcare.
EMPLOYERS benefit too, not having to spend a lot of money adapting premises to make them covid-safe. Indeed, they may decide they do not need such an investment in premises at all with all the lighting, heating, cleaners and canteen staff, to say nothing of business rates. However, if Leo is right then town centres will never be the same again. Most shops rely on passing trade as people buy goods during their lunch hour or on the way home after work.
Coffee and sandwich shops rely on workers and public transport certainly does. If we all start staying home the economy will undergo a permanent sea change.
The Government which scared people with daily death statistics is now urging the same people to go back to work but why should they if they can do the job at home and employers are happy to have it that way? Resistance may prove as futile as King Canute’s.