Is anyone else absolutely terrified to even check their bank account this month? After 18-months of doing absolutely nothing, this whole socialising thing seems to be taking its toll on our disposable incomes. But wait, it’s not just getting drunk in pub gardens that putting a dent in our finances… it’s our bloody jobs too.
According to a study by Capital One UK, returning to the office after remote working is costing staff £325 each for just the first month. Yes, really. Across the whole UK, that’s a grand total of £6billion.
Breaking down the biggest initial costs, staff are now spending £55 a month on fuel to get into the office, or £54 a month on public transport, and then another £54 a month on office-wear. After that comes the price of personal care, food, coffee and drinks plus parking, bringing the total sum to that £325 figure.
‘Millions of people are now heading back to offices, shedding the comfy clothes, and having to check train times or traffic routes again,’ Katy Lomax, chief experience officer at Capital One UK said of the research. ‘What was once normal spending is now a bit alien following 18 months of a completely different lifestyle.
With a greater focus on hybrid working, hopefully many will be able to keep some of their costs down.
‘Spending over £300 a month on work-related costs is a lot of money for many people, especially if finances have changed over the pandemic,’ she continued. ‘It’s brilliant that so many people have been able to save during lockdown and hope to continue doing that. With a greater focus on hybrid working, reflecting on finances plus careful budgeting, hopefully many people will be able to keep some of their costs down compared to pre pandemic.’
While it’s true that 10.5million people have saved more since March 202 than ever before, Katy’s not wrong in pointing out how many people are in drastically worse financial positions because of the pandemic. Whether it’s being put on furlough for months at a time, made redundant or losing your business entirely, a lot of people are struggling right now.
For those of us that have jobs then, perhaps we should be grateful for having somewhere to go… although we can’t help but feel remiss at the cost of office-working when remote proved so successful for many. But hey, maybe the government will give us all £325 worth of expenses as part of their effort to get everyone back into office chairs. Wishful thinking? Probably.
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