54% of staff still WFH as high streets beg for help

SCOTLAND’S high streets are in desperate need of a ‘financial lifeline’ as more than half of employees continue to work from home.

Despite pleas for workers to return after the pandemic to improve productivity and support struggling local businesses, 54 per cent are now working from home some or all of the time.

A new report by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) found 15 per cent of employees in Scotland are now fully working from home, while 39 per cent split their working time between home and the office.

The head of the organisation in Scotland, Lee Ann Panglea, suggested the country was facing a ‘transition to a post-pandemic workplace’, raising the prospect that new ways of working were ‘becoming embedded in our working lives’.

The findings echo research by YouGov which reported that 53 per cent of employers admitted their staff were now following so-called hybrid working patterns.

UK Hospitality Scotland’s executive director Leon Thompson called for the Scottish Government to use any underspend in the money allocated for tackling the Covid pandemic to help struggling businesses.

He said: ‘Hybrid working is clearly here to stay. Our city centre businesses continue to struggle from the absence of office workers and their spend in sandwich bars, coffee shops, restaurants and pubs.

‘This change also has an impact on contract caterers providing in-house food services.

‘Linked to hybrid and remote working is the lack of business travel. Prepandemic this was a significant market for hotels in Scotland’s cities and without its return many accommodation providers and the wider hospitality sector will find it much more difficult to recover.’

Mr Thompson added: ‘An immediate option is for the Scottish Government to use the underspend from the Covid support business funds to provide a financial lifeline.

‘UK Hospitality Scotland has long called for a change in the way business rates are applied and charged.

‘Now is the time to reassess business rates and ensure this tax is fair and applied in a way that supports hospitality work towards recovery.’

Scottish Tory economy spokesman Liz Smith said: ‘We cannot disregard the significant economic implications that follow for transport, in hospitality, and for businesses – particularly small companies – that cater to city centre workers.

‘This SNP administration ought to be doing much more to support firms that will be most affected by such a rapid and major shift in working arrangements.’

YouGov’s assistant director in Scotland, Ian Proctor, said: ‘Our poll has revealed an increase in hybrid working, which can be a great solution to attract and retain workers.

‘There will also be some employees who prefer not to work at home or find it impractical, so businesses should explore solutions that work for all employees.’

‘Do more to support firms’