The Great Return? Or Ghost Office?

They said they wanted to come back, so where are they?

Or, for those of you who’d prefer to read:

I’ve spent a lot of time talking to people, and 25% said they never wanted to come back to the office. A lot of bosses are admitting they have ‘no idea what to do about them yet…’

But since 75% said they wanted to come in, we unlocked the doors, opened the canteen and… well… where are they?

Travel reports this week have shown serious increases in tube, train, and road users. But an investment manager I spoke to said that their business is still operating at about 7% of capacity. Likewise, an in-house caterer in the City is baffled,“Where are all the people on the tubes going?”

So where is everyone?

What I’ve heard in interviews:

“I’ve got used to not leaving the front door, it seems pointless. The one day I did go in, all the testing and distancing and rules meant it was really stressful and I didn’t see anyone anyway, so I just do Zooms and emails and might as well be at home.”

“Schools & childcare are a bloody nightmare—with staggered drop-off and pick-up times, we waste three hours a week standing in the playground, then with reduced pre and post-school clubs… we don’t have time to commute.”

“My boss reckons I should be in two, probably three days, but leadership sent around a couple of memos that seemed to say it was up to us…"

So what can you do?

• Send memos that people understand. No more Eric Cantona

• Know WHY you want people in - you wanting to escape your front room and have company isn’t enough

• Have health & safety rules but within limits, to enable collaboration—or let people stay at home

• Pick ‘anchor days’ when enough people are in to create a buzz
  

Next Week:

You might see me in the Telegraph talking about the impact of the Great Return on women—we’ll explore that next Friday.

Christine