Governments around the world are urging workers to get back to their offices to help support an economic revival following months of restrictions related to Covid-19. They hope to get business back to normal. However, corporate bosses seem to have a different view and are embracing what they say is the new normal of working from home or remotely.
The world’s major cities, including New York and London, have only a fraction of their normal workforces back in their offices, and the picture doesn’t look like it is changing soon, despite the efforts of political leaders. Initially, staying away from the office was about health and safety amid the pandemic. Now it seems to be more about the benefits that can be reaped from more staff working remotely even after the crisis eases.
A global survey published this month by accountancy firm PwC finds that 78 per cent of CEOs expect remote working to be a permanent fixture. PwC UK expects the majority of its own 22,000 staff to embrace “a blend of office and home working”. Rival KPMG put out a survey indicating that 69 per cent of executives are planning to cut their office space in the short term as a result of the shift.
Major technology firms like Amazon, Facebook and Google have put in place remote-working protocols until the end of the year and beyond into the next one. It isn’t just the tech sector, though. German fashion brand Hugo Boss says it will only require staff to work in the office three days a week. Financial institutions such as BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, are allowing employees across the world to work remotely for the remainder of 2020.
British asset manager Schroders, which will allow thousands of staff to work from home permanently, said, “in the space of a few months, we have made 20 years progress in attitudes towards flexible working, and we are going to continue with this momentum.
“We believe re-thinking the rulebook on flexibility will ultimately prove a huge shot in the arm for Schroders’ productivity in the long term, while also highlighting Schroders as a forward-thinking employer of choice.”
Little, though, is being said about the dangerous disconnect between the priorities of large corporations and those of big governments. Naturally, governments are thinking of the wider economy and the ecosystems and livelihoods connected to commercial and financial centres like the City of London. Companies have a narrower view: what benefits them.
KPMG, for example, has said that working from home means a larger pool of potential employees from which it can recruit. There will also be the attraction of lowering the overheads associated with running a large office in a major city.
What social upheaval should we expect if the ecosystems of city centres disappear almost overnight?
Before the financial crisis more than a decade ago, this kind of myopia would perhaps be understandable but in 2020, it feels jarring that companies could still make such policy decisions without proper concern for the huge consequences on the communities around them.
Not very long ago, the choice of Amazon’s next office location was the subject of a bidding war among cities keen to reap the benefits of its large and wealthy workforce. There is an irony, then, that Amazon has told staff that they should work from home until early next year, if they are able to do so. In its home town of Seattle, at least, Amazon is offering $10 million in financial assistance to businesses affected by the absence of its staff. But there is not a lot of self-awareness elsewhere, as one company after another talks about its new-age attitudes to remote working in self-congratulatory tones.
Meanwhile, the impact of their decisions on the retail, transport, health, leisure, hospitality and social services sectors – who will have fewer office workers to cater to – is barely mentioned, if at all.
How will the jobs in these support sectors be sustained? Governments are keen to avoid having to find out, but up to now most have done little to prevent companies setting their own policies and timelines. In fairness, governments are stretched fighting Covid-19 and arresting a recession.
But in this vacuum, the seeds of another crisis are being sown.
Social and financial divides are at risk of being made much more stark if office workers go home and those left behind are left unemployed. When less of them are needed, what happens to the people staffing shops, cleaning buildings, running metro stations and working in other jobs that require you to be in a particular location? Who is looking out for all of those people right now? Who is advocating for their futures?
The natural ebbs and flows of a transitioning economy are not quick enough to catch those people who pay the price for such change. We have seen the backlash from the rush to automation and globalisation and the erosion of the manufacturing base in many countries. It helped a surge in populism, nationalism and political polarisation at state level. What social upheaval should we expect if the ecosystems of city centres disappear almost overnight? It is frightening to consider.
Large corporations seemingly are not considering this, and are almost at their own Marie Antoinette-like moment. Instead of them saying “let them eat cake” to those who have lost their jobs, they will be urging them to just work from home. Except not everyone can, and perhaps in the future very few will wish to. There are, after all, many who cannot – whether due to financial or other considerations – provide themselves with an environment from which they can work successfully from home, even if they are encouraged to.
The concept of remote working had a period of popularity some fifteen years ago, before becoming less fashionable by about 2015. While we try to work out if this time it is a more permanent change or just as temporary as earlier trends, we must be aware of the irreversible damage being done to people’s lives.
Mustafa Alrawi is an assistant editor-in-chief at The National
Manchester United v Liverpool
Premier League, kick off 7.30pm (UAE)
Total eligible population
About 57.5 million people
51.1 million received a jab
6.4 million have not
Where are the unvaccinated?
England 11%
Scotland 9%
Wales 10%
Northern Ireland 14%
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Pox that threatens the Middle East's native species
Camelpox
Caused by a virus related to the one that causes human smallpox, camelpox typically causes fever, swelling of lymph nodes and skin lesions in camels aged over three, but the animal usually recovers after a month or so. Younger animals may develop a more acute form that causes internal lesions and diarrhoea, and is often fatal, especially when secondary infections result. It is found across the Middle East as well as in parts of Asia, Africa, Russia and India.
Falconpox
Falconpox can cause a variety of types of lesions, which can affect, for example, the eyelids, feet and the areas above and below the beak. It is a problem among captive falcons and is one of many types of avian pox or avipox diseases that together affect dozens of bird species across the world. Among the other forms are pigeonpox, turkeypox, starlingpox and canarypox. Avipox viruses are spread by mosquitoes and direct bird-to-bird contact.
Houbarapox
Houbarapox is, like falconpox, one of the many forms of avipox diseases. It exists in various forms, with a type that causes skin lesions being least likely to result in death. Other forms cause more severe lesions, including internal lesions, and are more likely to kill the bird, often because secondary infections develop. This summer the CVRL reported an outbreak of pox in houbaras after rains in spring led to an increase in mosquito numbers.
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Pearls on a Branch: Oral Tales
Najlaa Khoury, Archipelago Books
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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Dunki
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
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if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
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SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPHONE%2015%20PRO%20MAX
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Other must-tries
Tomato and walnut salad
A lesson in simple, seasonal eating. Wedges of tomato, chunks of cucumber, thinly sliced red onion, coriander or parsley leaves, and perhaps some fresh dill are drizzled with a crushed walnut and garlic dressing. Do consider yourself warned: if you eat this salad in Georgia during the summer months, the tomatoes will be so ripe and flavourful that every tomato you eat from that day forth will taste lacklustre in comparison.
Badrijani nigvzit
A delicious vegetarian snack or starter. It consists of thinly sliced, fried then cooled aubergine smothered with a thick and creamy walnut sauce and folded or rolled. Take note, even though it seems like you should be able to pick these morsels up with your hands, they’re not as durable as they look. A knife and fork is the way to go.
Pkhali
This healthy little dish (a nice antidote to the khachapuri) is usually made with steamed then chopped cabbage, spinach, beetroot or green beans, combined with walnuts, garlic and herbs to make a vegetable pâté or paste. The mix is then often formed into rounds, chilled in the fridge and topped with pomegranate seeds before being served.
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
