The Chancellor has again stressed the benefits of office working and warned young people that continuing to work from home could damage their careers.

Since the lifting of coronavirus restrictions on 19 July, the government has expressed its preference for a gradual return to workplaces across England. Rishi Sunak has further endorsed this message by saying that he wishes to see young people physically return to the office, believing such a move would prove ‘valuable’ to their careers.

Speaking to LinkedIn News, Mr Sunak said, “I’ve spoken previously about young people in particular benefiting from being in offices: it was really beneficial to me when I was starting out in my career. The mentors that I found when I first started my job, I still talk to and they’ve been helpful to me all through my career even after we’ve gone in different ways.”

While some firms, such as the Chancellor’s former employer Goldman Sachs, are actively encouraging employees to return to the office as restrictions ease, others are planning to allow office-based staff greater flexibility with working arrangements. Indeed, survey evidence suggests that many office workers would relish the opportunity to work remotely, at least some of the time.