A week is a long time in politics would be a very apt phrase for the current global situation. The change we’ve seen since we shared our last view of the UK real estate market has been dramatic in two ways.
A week is a long time in politics would be a very apt phrase for the current global situation. The change we’ve seen since we shared our last view of the UK real estate market has been dramatic in two ways.
Firstly, and of course the most critical, is the continued rise in the numbers impacted by the spread of COVID-19. According to a report in the New York Times, over 4 billion people are living in some kind of lockdown environment. The second change is the number of discussions being had around ‘what the future looks like’ and ‘how do we start to get back to whatever the new normal is?’
Whilst people of course recognise we will be feeling the effects of the virus on the economy and on the way we live our lives for months to come, many business leaders are actively planning for how and when people will be able to move back into the more traditional workplace.
There is a general view that the situation will change how we work even after the direct implications have ended. The ability of people to work away from the office has been proven to a large degree, the desire of people to go back to a wholly traditional way of working has likely receded dramatically.
The need for people to understand what the future looks like is high. The desire for certainty, for clear planning and of course the trust we have in our employers to keep us safe will be the main focus for many over the next weeks. Bringing people back in
a timely and safe manner that demonstrates business has recognised the environment has changed will be key.
