The boss of BT today said Britain needs to get back into the office if the economy is to recover from Covid-19.
Philip Jansen, who tested positive for the virus back in March, says his own 100,000 staff are “coming back steadily, we are re-opening offices”.
He has insisted that no-one at BT would lose their job as a direct result of Covid-19 and that while the future of work might be flexible and office layouts will change, he thinks the workplace remains vital.
He told the Standard: “There is a need to get back to work and get back to the office, we are social animals, we need human interaction.”
Of his own battle with Covid he said: “I was very fortunate, it was a very mild set of symptoms. I had a bit of a cough.”
BT did not make use of the Government’s furlough scheme. “We felt that was designed for companies in distress,” he said.
Mr Jansen is not alone among business leaders in calling for a return to offices. This week, Barclays chief executive Jes Staley said: “We want our people back together, to make sure we ensure the evolution of our culture and our controls, and I think that will happen over time.” He added: “We also have a responsibility to places like Canary Wharf, like Manchester, like Glasgow.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he hopes for a “significant return to normality” by Christmas.
A Standard investigation has revealed how central London is facing the biggest economic crisis in generations with tens of thousands of jobs and hundreds of businesses at risk. A double whammy of “no shows” from commuters and high-spending tourists coul;d see 50,000 jobs in the vulnerable retail, tourism and hospitality sectors disappear in the West End alone this year.
