[Mick]

Everyone working from home is another whammy to the restaurant sector.  In many USA cities there are business that make almost all of their revenue M-F 11:00AM - 2:00PM.  Those small business owners and their employees probably hope office workers return to working from the office soon.

That's a major reason why supermarkets are so empty.  What formerly was purchased by restaurants and commercial bakeries are now being baked at home.  Why it's so hard to find flour and yeast, among other things.

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I also think that at least my employer is seeing at least a short term uptick in worker productivity.  Most people seem to have turned their commute time into work time.  I know I have had a lot more calls starting at 7am than I did when I was going into the office, not sure how long that will remain the norm.

Definitely true for me, my team and both my sons.  Our offices are in high-congestion/long commute areas (Philadelphia, DC, NYC, Houston, LA, Chicago) and our employees were demanding the ability to work from home before the coronavirus hits, as was my youngest son (90 minute commute from Eastern Cut / Rincon Hill in SF to Palo Alto via  public transport).  My oldest son purposely selected as residence an apartment six blocks from his office in Santa Monica.

What our firm has discovered is that people are hyperproductive, particularly when your work is largely project-based and not incidentally, in an environment in which employees are liable to be furloughed -- as I will have to furlough five more employees this week.  Not looking forward to it.  And the firm will not become less demanding with 26 employees than when I had 34.  But, at least my budget's been cut 70%.  Now I can't afford anything, so it's easy to say "no."

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I had an email exchange with someone at my employer about going back to the office

- it will be months not weeks
- it will be gradual
- it will be very different, things like some required work from home days, conference rooms reconfigured (ones that hold 8 people now will allow 3 people), one way aisles, box lunches for purchase in the cafeteria, metered use of the breakrooms and bathrooms (not sure how this will work).  stairways one direction (our buildings have two), occupy only some of the cubes (every 3rd or 4th one depending on the size of the cubes), clean desk policy to enable more frequent deep cleaning......given these restrictions I can see most people who can effectively work from home continuing to do so.

We're having the same discussions. I think some of our offices will open later this month, possibly early next, with all of the changes listed here, and several others (PPE mandated, office doors shut, 1/4 capacity max in all conference rooms, hallways will become one way). We have a looooong list of changes. Everyone who can work from home will be encouraged to do so.
Our management is looking at our expiring leases like a lion looks at a gazelle, thinking about the savings of smaller office footprints and less related costs like utilities and paper.

[Mick]

Everyone working from home is another whammy to the restaurant sector.  In many USA cities there are business that make almost all of their revenue M-F 11:00AM - 2:00PM.  Those small business owners and their employees probably hope office workers return to working from the office soon.

That's a major reason why supermarkets are so empty.  What formerly was purchased by restaurants and commercial bakeries are now being baked at home.  Why it's so hard to find flour and yeast, among other things.

---

I also think that at least my employer is seeing at least a short term uptick in worker productivity.  Most people seem to have turned their commute time into work time.  I know I have had a lot more calls starting at 7am than I did when I was going into the office, not sure how long that will remain the norm.

Definitely true for me, my team and both my sons.  Our offices are in high-congestion/long commute areas (Philadelphia, DC, NYC, Houston, LA, Chicago) and our employees were demanding the ability to work from home before the coronavirus hits, as was my youngest son (90 minute commute from Eastern Cut / Rincon Hill in SF to Palo Alto via  public transport).  My oldest son purposely selected as residence an apartment six blocks from his office in Santa Monica.

What our firm has discovered is that people are hyperproductive, particularly when your work is largely project-based and not incidentally, in an environment in which employees are liable to be furloughed -- as I will have to furlough five more employees this week.  Not looking forward to it.  And the firm will not become less demanding with 26 employees than when I had 34.  But, at least my budget's been cut 70%.  Now I can't afford anything, so it's easy to say "no."

---

I had an email exchange with someone at my employer about going back to the office

- it will be months not weeks
- it will be gradual
- it will be very different, things like some required work from home days, conference rooms reconfigured (ones that hold 8 people now will allow 3 people), one way aisles, box lunches for purchase in the cafeteria, metered use of the breakrooms and bathrooms (not sure how this will work).  stairways one direction (our buildings have two), occupy only some of the cubes (every 3rd or 4th one depending on the size of the cubes), clean desk policy to enable more frequent deep cleaning......given these restrictions I can see most people who can effectively work from home continuing to do so.

We're having the same discussions. I think some of our offices will open later this month, possibly early next, with all of the changes listed here, and several others (PPE mandated, office doors shut, 1/4 capacity max in all conference rooms, hallways will become one way). We have a looooong list of changes. Everyone who can work from home will be encouraged to do so.
Our management is looking at our expiring leases like a lion looks at a gazelle, thinking about the savings of smaller office footprints and less related costs like utilities and paper.