When the coronavirus pandemic swept through the world’s cities this spring, office workers had to hurry home. Taking their laptops with them, they entered a new world of meetings by Zoom call and remote working with their families, or flatmates, in the next room. A surprising number found they liked it.
Not having to take crowded public transport to work, or juggle working schedules awkwardly with partners, has been an unexpected boon. Even children bursting into rooms when their parents are on video calls have been treated indulgently. Some employees yearn to go back to the gossip and interplay of office life, but others now wonder whether they ever want to return.
Until the emergency ends, it is impossible for many employers to insist on them resuming their old ways. There may not be room in open plan offices for staff to socially distance at anything like full occupancy. Although workers in many countries have largely returned to the office, those in cities such as London and New York remain wary.