FT SeriesThe return to the officeAs companies prepare to reopen to employees, this FT series examines the uncertainties they face.© FT montage; AFP, Getty, BloombergHow to make the hybrid workforce model workWhile a mix of working from home and the office allows employees more flexibility, it has major challengesTraders set to don virtual reality headsets in their home officesUBS looks at recreating busy trading floors with London VR experiment for homeworkersBosses predict permanent shift in working and an evolution for citiesHomeworking now viewed as acceptable but can staff remain motivated in the long run?Cities count cost of lasting exodus from offices Companies prepare plans for a more permanent flexible way of working following pandemicCompanies need a new compact for working from homeThe pandemic has made many employees want to rebalance how they live and workBankers crave return of in-person trading floorsThe ‘human factor’ matters as office-based teams beat traders working from homeMore from this SeriesYour new office is just around the cornerCo-working is back, but now these spaces are informal, suburban — or even in a hotel lobby Why workers in some countries are more comfortable about returning to the office The pandemic brought a huge shift to remote working and attitudes are diverging about what happens nextOffice owners face millions in extra costs to ‘Covid-proof’ buildingsLandlords including British Land and Canary Wharf Group are adapting workspaces as staff tentatively return How safe is it to go back to the office? Reducing the risk of virus transmission is key — here is what experts know so far about the health hazardsJPMorgan calls senior traders back to the officeBank sets September 21 deadline for managers to return as Covid-19 cases subsideCarlyle staff told to avoid public transport on London office return Private equity group expects employees to walk or cycle if possible as HQ reopens after shutdownIf you can do your job anywhere, can anyone do your job?Trusting people to work well from home is one skill managers now have to learnSafety at work goes beyond pandemic worriesDuring this period of physical fear, we also need to feel emotionally safe among colleaguesWorking from home is starting to pallAfter months away from the office, staff are tired and anxious — but there may be a simple fixOffice evangelist makes the case against working from homeProperty broker Mary Ann Tighe says a lively urban workplace is liberating — particularly for womenAre we ready to travel on underground trains?From ultraviolet cleaning to crowdsourced apps — what the world’s subways are doing to get us back on boardUK businesses push for return of office workersRetail and hospitality sectors fear empty city centres are holding back recoveryBanking: the great return to the officeAntibody testing, temperature monitoring and social distancing are among the challenges aheadThe end of the office? Outbreak may change work foreverBusiness ease in adapting to lockdowns changes attitudes to remote set-ups
