As 94% look towards a return to the workplace, overpriced coffees on the commute to memorable Friday hangovers at the office, Addison Lee have grilled Londoners to uncover the guilty pleasures they’re looking forward to as we return to work. 

With the city set to open up on June 21, the anticipation around summer socialising and the next new normal is at an all-time high. For 94% of the nation, this also includes getting back to work at the office at least once a week. 

Online searches for ‘back to the office’ are spiking higher than they have in the last 12 months. Over 2,700 people a month are already searching for things like ‘when do I go back to work after Covid’, ‘do I have to go back to work’ and ‘should I go back to work’ on Google.

The Top 5 Things We Are Looking Forward to At Work: 

• 2 in 5 can’t wait to socialize with colleagues again 
• 2 in 5 miss work lunches with coworkers
• 1 in 5 look forward to leaving work at the office.
• 1 in 5 miss the bars, restaurants and shops near work.

There’s Also A Few Things We Never Thought We’d Miss About Office Life, But Actually Do! 

1 in 5 Londoners count their overpriced daily coffee as a treasured part of life on the move in the city. Millennials are most excited about their morning Starbucks or Costa, with 19% looking forward to throwing their cash at coffee as they commute. Socialising with colleagues at the office ranks high on our list of priorities, but getting drinks after work is even more appealing, with 1 in 5 saying they’ve missed a good pub crawl. A few drinks on Thursday after work turned into an all-nighter and a chat in a cab on the way home at 2 in the morning… 1 in 5 have missed hangovers and easy Fridays at the office during lockdown. 

What are we worried about with the return to the workplace? 

Although there’s plenty to look forward to, not everyone’s confident about the return to the office, with just under half of people admitting they have anxiety around health and the return to work.

• 2 in 5 don’t want to give up the extra time: Having become accustomed to sleeping in, casual wardrobes and meetings from the kitchen table, most are reluctant to get up earlier, get home later or waste time commuting.
• 2 in 5 are dreading the Tube at rush hour: Anxiety around public transport is high, with most eager to avoid peak hours on the Tube. 25% also admit they dread having to go into the office five days a week. Gen X is the most anxious about this aspect of the return to the office, at 36%. 
• 1 in 5 can’t be bothered with work clothes: After more than a year in loungewear and pyjamas, spending ages getting ready is a bit of a nightmare. Gen Z feels most passionate about it, with 24% saying wearing work clothes is their least favourite thing about being in the office. Unsurprisingly, women are more anxious about it than men, at 22% compared to 18%. 

Whether you’re feeling a bit anxious about going back to the office, or you’re excited to get out and about in London again, we’ll make sure you get where you’re going safely. From business car hires to private car hires to get around the city, we’re on standby to assist London employees and businesses get back to the office with safe, fast and affordable corporate transportation. 

Read about what we’re doing to keep you safe on our Safety Hub or book a cab.