Covid-19: With recent spike, is it necessary to allow employees to work from offices?

There was collective relief when the national Covid-19 task force announced the easing of coronavirus curbs last month.

People have been yearning for social gatherings, which may be crucial to their mental well-being in the long run.

But with the easing of restrictions, more office workers have also been allowed to return to their workplaces.

Even though the Government earlier this week announced a ban on social gatherings and interactions at workplaces, the rule that 50 per cent of staff can go back to the office remains.

People have been carrying on with their lives with homeworking as a fixture for a large part of the past one-and-a-half years or so.

With the recent spike in Covid-19 cases, is allowing employees to work from offices one practice we can do without until the situation improves?

If people who can work from home continue to do so, the work can still go on with one fewer possible venue of exposure.

Also, there will be fewer people who have to travel for work, thus reducing the exposure rate at transport hubs.

I do not work from home as I am a blue-collar worker. But seeing crowds increasing around my workplace makes me wonder: Is there really a need for those who can work from home to return to the office?

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