Workers not flocking back to the office in Brighton and Hove

Location data from phones and other devices show that average activity in workplaces was 29 per cent down on normal levels in the city during the week beginning July 19 - down from 26 per cent in the previous week.

Average workplace activity also fell slightly across England in the week following “Freedom Day”, dropping from 24 per cent to 26 per cent below normal levels.

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Business leaders have suggested the emergence of “hybrid working” models, with a mix of working from the office and working from home, could be behind the slight fall.

A recent survey by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) found that fewer than one in 20 business leaders were considering returning staff to work entirely from the office, with the majority opting for hybrid models.

Maxine Bligh, director at the CBI, said: “The pandemic has taught employers that, in general, people can do large parts of their job from home without any impact on productivity. There have also been benefits felt for employees in terms of health and wellbeing.”

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She added that many people are being forced to self-isolate due to potentially coming into contact with an infected person, which could be impacting workplace activity levels.

The data, from tech giant Google, analyses footfall in five areas outside of the home - retail and recreation, supermarkets and pharmacies, parks, public transport and workplaces - and compares it to a five-week baseline period before the pandemic.

It also found that activity at Brighton and Hove’s supermarkets was two per cent above the pre-pandemic average, and retail and recreation establishments saw activity just three per cent below normal levels.

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