Only 26% of full time UK workers want life to return to the way it was before lockdown. This is according to the nationwide Covid-19 Remote Working Survey of 1000 people, all of whom are currently working from home, conducted by Censuswide and commissioned by Eskenzi PR. Indeed, more than 40% of respondents revealed that they like working from home.

  • 60% of Brits do not want to return to the way things were before lockdown.
  • 18% have pledged they will never return to full-time office work again.
  • 49% believe they won’t be back to the office full-time until the end of the year or into 2021.
  • 26% of respondents want life to return to the way it was before lockdown.
  • 40% of respondents revealed that they like working from home.
  • 5% of respondents never want to work from home again.
  • One in five respondents (22%) feel they’re more productive working from home.
  • 74% of respondents indicated that they were better off financially because of the lockdown.
  • 49% want to work in the office for just 2 days a week.
  • Nearly 60% have concerns about being able to social distance upon returning to the office

What do readers of TopicUK think? Would you say that this is accurate to your own thoughts? My job is very social, I'm often out and about chatting with people, sourcing news and promoting our partners. In this 'new world' is this going to be possible? I certainly miss the interaction. We all certainly have to rethink how we are to work going forward.

There has been lots in the news over the past couple of weeks about exam results, it has been a shambles. Exams are difficult for many, some students excel during their coursework but go to pieces in exams, why can their results not be assessed on coursework done? It would ensure that students work hard all the time.

More than the worry of exam results though I wonder with lockdown and less social interaction, how young people are going to develop social skills if everything is done digitally. We have to get children and young people back into school as a matter of priority or they are going to grow up with no social skills and worse still, possibly obese.

This pandemic has taught me some things. We have to look after one another in business. We need to pull together which in turn will support our local economy. We need to support our local high street, after all it was those small businesses who worked hard to make sure we could still get our groceries, delivered to many of those vulnerable. Please continue to support them.

What was heartwarming for me was seeing old skills returning such as parents baking and cooking with their children. Gardening became popular again with many people trying their hand at growing their own food, I was one of them, I'm not very good at it, I have to admit, but I am determined to learn, so much so my name is now on the list for an allotment! I am number 52 on the list so it might be a retirement pastime, but I can live in hope! (Hint hint Wakefield Council!)

We are updating our websites daily with all the local business news as we prepare the next edition of TopicUK, so do check out what is going on. We have seen a massive increase in footfall onto our website, so do keep sending us your news.

Spending the day here at my desk when I should have been enjoying ladies day at The Ebor Festival today, seems the hat will have to stay in its box for another year!

Gill