Return to office for sake of young staff, urge Midland bosses
TOP business leaders from across the West Midlands have called on workers to return to offices – saying it will help their careers and allow younger workers to benefit from the experience of colleagues.
The plea came from Severn Trent chief executive Liv Garfield, chair of a new business group set up by West Midlands Mayor Andy Street, called the Regional Business Council.
In the first public statement on behalf of the council, Ms Garfield said: “As we emerge from this pandemic, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape and improve society.
“Regional businesses can play a key role in helping to achieve this ambition, by tapping into the talent we have on our doorstep.
“Job vacancies in our region are 59% up on pre pandemic levels and we must use every lever to help young people seize these opportunities.
“We believe returning to the office is a step in the right direction, now restrictions are being lifted. It’ll give people in the workplace, especially young people in the early phase of their career, that in-person mentorship, those all-important learning moments, and face-toface interactions that will help them to flourish.”
The Government has ended its advice to work from home, as part of the lifting of ‘plan B’ measures to control the spread of the Omicron Covid-19 variant. However some firms have not yet fully reopened facilities.
Mayor Andy Street set up the new advisory group with senior business leaders from across the region, to help guide the region’s economic recovery from the pandemic.
As well as Ms Garfield, the new Regional Business Council includes Gymshark founder Ben Francis, NEC
Group chief executive Paul Thandi, Coventry City Football Club owner Joy Seppala, and Birmingham Airport chief executive Nick Barton.
Senior managers from Jaguar Land Rover, Lloyds, Cadent, Eon, Aston Villa, National Express, PWC, the Rigby Group, Kier and Deloitte are also members.
The group is tasked with driving investment and innovation in the region, as well as encouraging businesses to improve social mobility to maximise opportunities across all parts of the region.
It will meet quarterly as part of a high-level, confidential forum, to discuss the regional economy and how the West Midlands can bounce back from the Covid-19 pandemic.
The group will work directly with the Mayor of the West Midlands, regional leaders, and Government, to help shape the future of the region.
Mr Street said: “Our region has some of the best and brightest business leaders of anywhere in the world, and they will be critical in ensuring the West Midlands bounces back quickly and effectively from the pandemic.
“That’s why I have set up this new Regional Business Council, to give our senior business leaders the forum they need to discuss the ongoing economic picture in the West Midlands and advise the Mayor and the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) on what further steps we need to take to ensure a fair and inclusive economic recovery from the pandemic that has job creation at its heart.
“The Regional Business Council’s first intervention is also a critical one, as we know how important office working is both for our regional economy and people’s livelihoods. Here at the WMCA we have begun encouraging our staff back into the office, and I hope other firms will follow the Regional Business Council’s call and start doing the same.”