Ahead of this week’s Executive meeting, Retail NI has written to the First and deputy First Ministers urging them to establish a working group to plan for the safe return of public and private sector employees to their workplaces.
Retail NI Chief Executive Glyn Roberts said:
“Northern Ireland needs to catch up with other parts of the UK with its return-to-workplace message.”
“Safely reopening offices is not just important for boosting footfall for our high streets, but also for our economy and returning our society to near as normal.”
“Retail NI want to see the Executive establish a working group to produce a clear and co-ordinated plan for the safe and timely return of public and private sector staff to their offices and workplaces. We envisage this group to include key public, private, retail, hospitality, and trade union representatives.”
“Health & safety, risk assessments and ventilation will be key issues for these employers to resolve in their workplaces as staff return. This will be a significant challenge and will require extensive planning."
“We fully understand that hybrid working is likely to be a significant feature of the future of the office and needs to be factored in as we begin to repurpose and rethink our high streets."
