Less than 1 in 10 employees based in New York City have returned to work in their offices, far less than the projection made in late May, according to a survey from the Partnership for New York City.
"I think the economic consequences and time required to recover are going to be longer and more serious than people have realized," Kathryn Wylde, the Partnership president and chief executive, told Crain's New York.
"I think the doomsday reports are inaccurate," she added.
The Partnership's survey found:
- 8% of employees have returned to working in New York City offices.
- 10% of employees were projected last May to return to their offices.
- 26% expect to return to their offices by the end of the year.
- 54% expect to return to their offices by July 2021.
- 28% say they do not know when they will return to their offices.
Wylde notes the real estate sector has brought back the most employees of any category, with more than half already working in their offices, and about 94% expected to return by summer 2021.
"They can't threaten to leave because their business is here," Wylde said, "so they really have to lead the charge to get people back to the office."
She also noted real estate companies are the ones responsible for ensuring buildings are safe for offices to reopen.
"We thought that we were going to be [with the coronavirus pandemic] done by fall," Wylde said, "but the outbreaks around the country have made it clear that there are lots of things we don't know about a virus that's changing."
The Partnership for New York City’s survey was conducted with major employers during the first two weeks of August.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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