Working from home could last for a lot longer

Good morning lockdown crew. Hope you’re well. Yesterday, and for the first time in a while, I found myself in a couple of local shops. There’s a mixture of coronavirus changes, with the local Co-op implementing a “one way only” and “one in, one out” system and keeping people separated. Staff were wearing masks, payment had to be made without touching the rubber gloves of staff and there’s plastic shielding everywhere. It seems quite strange to me still – like something from ET.

However, the “strangeness” will be going on for a bit longer yet. When we do eventually come out of the lockdown, we still won’t be going back to “normal”. We’re all going to have to adapt to a “new normal” – still distancing and with certain activities banned. That said, a lot of people have still been able to continue their work lives despite being unable to get into the office.

For those who are lucky enough to have kept working, and to be working remotely, things has worked quite well and it may change the way the companies organise their staff going forwards. With offices closed and staff working from home effectively, why return back to the “old ways”? Draft government proposals are looking at the way we work after the lockdown and, especially with offices where social distancing isn’t possible, remote working may continue for a lot longer – until either a vaccine is available or perhaps forever for some.

Why? Well, government advisers are now also stating that we should continue this way of working, with people working from home where possible and promoting investment into broadband connections rather than roads. The goal is to help the Earth, avoiding slipping deeper into a climate crisis.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, the committee has stated that people should continue to work from home if possible and to walk or cycle more. It also suggests that those without a job should be re-trained to work “green” industries such as home insulation, tree-planting and peatland restoration.

Although the government is still yet to reply, it is known to be in favour of reducing carbon emissions and a “green recovery” to the coronavirus recession.