Arriving at our office on Molesworth Street on Monday was reminiscent of returning to school after a summer break – I was excited, but also apprehensive.
This was my first day in the office since becoming Managing Director of Savills Ireland back in March (after the country shutdown). At the time, I was unaware that the world would change – in a very short period of time – and my initial plans as the new MD would be diverted into managing the business through a pandemic, and now planning its recovery. But I do love a challenge.
Traffic was certainly a lot heavier on the drive in to the city centre – not a surprise following the major lifting of restrictions by government. Some feel that perhaps the roads will never return to pre-COVID-19 gridlock, but I suspect even more people will now choose to drive rather than use public transport.
I arrived in the office just before 7am and conducted a number of walkthroughs to ensure all new health and safety requirements were adhered to in our new set up.
By 9am, approximately 10% of our 300-strong workforce were back in the office, but the atmosphere made it feel a lot more than that. It was heart-warming, and quite emotional, to see colleagues excitedly welcome each other back – albeit at a distance. While some may have been inclined to shake hands, or even hug, it soon dawned on us that the world has changed and, for now, we must continue to keep our distance.
I have to say, the office looks great. It’s clean, there is less clutter, and the hand sanitisation stations, social distancing signage, and other vital health and safety equipment are more reassuring than concerning.
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The ability to talk to, and collaborate with – colleagues’ in-person, is unrivalled to its virtual equivalent.
Mark Reynolds, Managing Director, Savills Ireland
And people’s reluctance to use the touch-screen printer will hopefully enable us to achieve a paperless office in the near future.
A question I’m sure many of us asked in recent weeks was whether returning to the office would be more disruptive than continuing to work from home? Would all the new health and safety protocols be a hindrance to productivity?
Thankfully, this hasn’t been the case. The ability to talk to, and collaborate with – colleagues’ in-person, is unrivalled to its virtual equivalent.
There is no doubt that working from home has been successful for our business in getting us through lockdown, but never underestimate the benefit of reading someone’s body language when doing business – something that can’t be achieved via video conferencing.
One of the benefits of working in Dublin city centre is the range of amenities on our doorstep. Monday was sunny – 17 degrees I recall – and there was no excuse for not getting out for a walk at lunch. I walked up Grafton Street, where hundreds of shoppers had returned to avail of the streets’ retail offering – bringing a much-needed boost to the sector. I popped in to make a few purchases in James Herron on Dawson Street as I think it is really important to support retailers in the weeks and months ahead. Oh, and the buskers are also back!
As I approached St Stephen’s Green, for a brief walk in the park, it felt as if the past 13 weeks never happened. Families fed ducks, couples took a stroll, and workers enjoyed lunch on park benches – everything about it felt normal.
Of course, we’re not nearly back to normal just yet, but we’re heading in the right direction. In phase 3, on the 29 June, more staff will come back to the office – as they will in many other businesses in Dublin and throughout the country. Hopefully, the benefit of this increased footfall will have positive knock-on effects for the wider economy – and in particular the retail, food and beverage sectors.
For now, our focus is on recovery, supporting our clients in the weeks and months ahead, and ensuring our offices are a safe, collaborative and enjoyable environment to work in. It’s great to be back!
Mark Reynolds is Managing Director of Savills Ireland.
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