Love it or loathe it, most of us have unwittingly taken part in a giant homeworking experiment. There have been highs and lows – increased family time, the ability to blend work and home life and savings in commute time being some of the obvious pluses. Children photo-bombing your seventh video call of the day being one of the lows.

It‘s unsurprising that those in a flat share in Hackney, with ironing tables for desks and limited WiFi have had a different experience to those working from a quiet study overlooking the garden.

Regardless of these inequalities, we shouldn’t compare the high-pressure situation we are in now to how the whole office versus home balance will play out in the future. Indeed, 88 per cent of London respondents in Savills Office FiT* survey believe there is still a need for an office – this has been my own first week back in the office and I feel re-energised.

However, there are certainly lessons to be learnt. Now is the time to recognise what changes should stick in order improve our working environment:

• A cultural shift in work style with a deeper trust of employees to manage their time and location appropriately
  The office offers a valuable boundary between work and home, but the flexibility to work from home when required is here for good. 
  
  In particular this will be exacerbated in London where a far higher proportion of people use public transport to get to work and also commute for a longer period meaning they have proportionally more to gain from being able to work from home a few days a week.
  
  Less time spent commuting is clearly better for the environment and allowing employees to balance where they work could improve mental wellbeing.
  
  
• Upgrading IT
  Fluidity to work between home and the office can only be achieved through improved technology. Technology also allows building use to be monitored, enabling safer working practice.
  
  
• The way we travel to work
  More cycle lanes and non-car infrastructure will pave the way for a re-balancing of car and public transport use. The key is for local councils to see through the quickly installed infrastructure changes made already.
  
  Could an increase in cycling result in London occupiers moving to non-core submarkets? Yes and no. Fringe submarkets have benefited from an expanding London and the ability to offer more amenities and green space. However, for many companies being in core central London is key. 
  
  
• The ability to collaborate
  This has been one of the biggest challenges when working from home. I’ve had more productive, off-the-cuff conversations in a week in the office than in months at home. Offices will need to provide more break-out space, as well as individual working pods. We were already seeing a flight to quality amongst London occupiers and Covid-19 will accelerate this, potentially opening a further divide between Grade A and B space.
  
  
• The importance of a two-way partnership between landlord and tenant
  This had already been recognised in the offices sector but the need to work together is now more important than ever before.
  
  
• A mind-set of inclusiveness
  Overall, this is what has shifted for good, I believe, and the realisation that, as long as we are all doing it, we can blur the lines of work, home and play to ultimately be more productive, happier and fulfilled. I’m not walking one way round the office forever though.

*Savills Office FiT survey, which explores how people have responded to working from home and what the future impacts on office space might be, was sent to 65,000 clients during the lockdown period of Covid-19, in late April.

Further information

Savills Office FiT: Adapt, Evolve, Improve