Britain lags behind rest of Europe on office return

BRITONS are lagging behind all major European economies in returning to work – with nearly one in ten here now hoping to do their job from home permanently.

Just a third of office workers in the UK have returned to their desks, according to a recent survey from investment bank Morgan Stanley.

This compares to 83 per cent in France, 76 per cent in Italy, 73 per cent in Spain and 70 per cent in Germany.

Meanwhile, 9 per cent of British workers think they will never come back to the office permanently, and will be able to work from home every day. This compares to between 2 per cent and 6 per cent of workers in other major European economies.

Those UK office workers who have returned to their desks, on the whole, have done so for more days a week than their peers elsewhere.

But the figures will still fuel worries over the survival of city centre businesses in the UK, which thrive on the hustle and bustle of busy office blocks. Already there has been a string of job losses among retailers and cafe chains. Pret a Manger – popular with commuters and office staff – has announced plans to shut 30 shops and cut 1,000 jobs.

And now WH Smith – a staple of busy train station thoroughfares – has announced 1,500 layoffs after a plunge in customer numbers.

The differences in workers’ attitudes between the UK and its European peers raises the prospect that economic recovery could be hampered by a reluctance to get back to normal.

The Bank of England has warned of long-lasting economic ‘scarring’, as swathes of job losses and reduced demand among consumers mean the economy is unable to make up all of its lost ground.

The Government, meanwhile, is borrowing more and more money to pay for its coronavirus support measures. The Office for Budget Responsibility thinks the Treasury is on course to borrow more than £370billion this year – a peacetime record – and a swift economic recovery will be vital to ensuring this debt can be paid down.

But as Boris Johnson has issued pleas to get staff back into the office and spending again on transport, coffees and lunches, just a third of UK workers think they will be forced to return to their desks permanently.

Mr Johnson urged employees to return to their offices from the beginning of August, saying last month: ‘I want to see more people feeling confident to use the shops, use the restaurants, and get back into work – but only if we all follow the guidance.’

However, many businesses have snubbed Mr Johnson’s request, as commuter trains and office blocks around the country are still deathly quiet compared to their usual level.

Nigel Wilson, of financial services company Legal & General, told the Mail yesterday that returning staff to work would be vital for local economies.

He said: ‘For restaurants, pubs, clubs, gyms, hairdressers and cleaning firms, they are only just back to work and they are terribly dependent [on office workers].’

The UK’s home-working numbers appear to have been swayed by London, where the thought of packed commuter trains and tube networks has deterred people from venturing into the office.

A vast 69 per cent of office workers in the capital have not returned to their usual location, and only 18 per cent are going to work every day.