Dubai: Most employees return to office as firms offer work-from-home option

Work-from-home had become a norm after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, including in the UAE. However, work-from-home is not here to stay.

A new study revealed that nearly 70 per cent of employees in Dubai had returned to their offices in some capacity after the outbreak of the pandemic when most of the companies had moved to work-from-home culture in order to continue operations amidst restrictions on the movement of the people.

A study released by real estate consultancy Savills has revealed that there has been a marked increase in return to the office from international occupiers as global office management policies have encouraged a return to office working in other major cities.

“Approximately 70 per cent of workers have returned to offices in some capacity across Dubai. Most corporates, however, are implementing some form of hybrid working, particularly in the legal and technology sectors where workers have more flexibility to carry out their jobs from outside the office,” said Swapnil Pillai, associate director for research at Savills Middle East.

Interestingly, employees of the UAE’s federal and local governments have also steadily returned to offices. In September 2021, all employees of Abu Dhabi government entities returned to their workplaces, while all federal employees returned to their offices from July 2020. Similarly, Dubai government offices returned to 50 per cent capacity from May 31, 2020, while 100 per cent of the workforce returned from June 2020.

Interestingly, most of the studies conducted about post-pandemic work culture found that the majority of the employees prefer a hybrid work model. A recent study by Cisco revealed that the majority of employees in the UAE prefer a hybrid work model.

Similarly, schools across the country have also returned to the pre-pandemic level, operating at full capacity.

Workplace visitation on the rise

Swapnil Pillai said the Dubai and UAE governments’ policies to ensure business continuity whilst safeguarding the health of its residents during the pandemic have been well received by the global business community.

“Over the past few months, inquiry levels from global multinationals have reflected this trend — an increasing number of companies, especially from Europe, are exploring office options across the city to either relocate part of their business operations or expand further into a new market,” he added.

Meanwhile, Google’s mobility data has revealed that workplace visitation has substantially increased on Fridays following the change in the weekend by the UAE government and the private sector from January 1, 2022.

Quoting Google’s mobility data, real estate consultancy CBRE said visitation to workplaces in Dubai sits 28.9 per cent above its pre-pandemic baseline.