Covid and home working: Return to offices to herald change for hundreds of thousands

When Covid-19 struck last year Simon McWilliams had to close his cafe for the first time in nearly a quarter-century of business at South Great George’s Street in Dublin.

Crucial lunch trade did not recover when Simon’s Place returned after the lockdown, but now he hopes for a bounce as offices reopen from later this month.

“It used to be all hands on deck from 12.45pm to 2.15pm. That was the bulk of the day,” he said. “We’re ready and waiting and hopeful that things will continue to open up. Bring them back, those nice people in the office. Tell them to open up their computers – and we’ll feed them at lunch.”

If the listless city streets could do with a boost as the Government advances plans to phase out Covid-19 restrictions, the return of the office heralds change for hundreds of thousands who have been working at home for 18 months.

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All the talk now is of a new culture of ‘blended’ working between offices and homes, but for companies of all sizes multiple questions arise.

“Employers have been getting quite frustrated that up until now we didn’t have clarity on timelines, so they’ll be very pleased to see those timelines come forward,” said Fergal O’Brien, director of lobbying at business group Ibec.

Still, he said that precision is required on official workplace guidelines as the Government changes the advice on people working from home where possible.

Notwithstanding the great quality of the various technologies available to us all, it is important that teams are able to meet in person and certainly for learning and development

“Social distancing remains a big issue in the office, in terms of desk location, in terms of meetings,” he said. “How do we manage distance requirements? Working in pods? How to manage the recording of attendance? What are the procedures if [Covid-19] cases do occur?”

For all that, the fact the pandemic has dragged on for so long has given employers scope to plan ahead.

The chief executive of one large Irish organisation, which employs thousands, said staff would initially return to the office one day every fortnight.

With home working for part of the week “in perpetuity” already accepted as long-term policy, he said office capacity would ultimately be limited to “at most 40 per cent” to allow for social distancing.

“Notwithstanding the great quality of the various technologies available to us all, it is important that teams are able to meet in person and certainly for learning and development. Particularly for more junior members.”

Although employers are precluded from asking if a worker has been vaccinated, the chief executive said that “ideally you would know”.

Vaccination status

Melanie Crowley, partner at Mason Hayes & Curran solicitors, said the inability to ask about vaccination status was the “elephant in the room” as workplaces reopen.

“If you can’t ask your employees who is vaccinated, do you have to adapt your office space on the assumption that nobody is? And how do you know who can sit beside each other because they’re vaccinated?” she asked.

Ms Crowley said liability issues could potentially arise from people catching Covid-19 at work, but argued that such claims would be very hard to prove.

In the public sector, there are anxieties about social distancing and ventilation given many buildings in use are “historic” .

“If two-metre social distancing can’t be maintained it may mean staff staggering, or it may mean staff blending where some are on site on a rota basis and some will be working from home,” one senior manager said.

Although going back is highly complicated, there are lessons to be drawn from sectors such as food and manufacturing which returned early or never closed because they were deemed essential.

Larry Murrin, chief executive of food group Dawn Farms, said his experience suggests offices could return in a safe way without major health incidents.

“We were coming to the office eight months before vaccinations started to roll out so yes, I’m absolutely happy it can be done, taking on board all the appropriate scientific advice and guidelines,” he said.