New research has found that home working will continue to be a feature of working life after the coronavirus pandemic is over. As more of life’s activities take place in the home, online shopping will continue to grow, and this will drive high demand for warehouse space.
The North East England Chamber of Commerce has partnered with industry experts to forecast what the workplace will look like as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. Its conclusions are published in a report titled “Future of the Workplace”.
One of the main findings is that workers will want flexible working arrangements, which will include at least some remote working. Working from home has altered the way people look at office work, with many preferring working remotely. People have become accustomed to Zoom meetings and not having to dress up for work.
Around 87% of UK households made an online purchase during 2020. As people continue to spend more of their time in the home, it’s expected that many will prefer to shop online rather than visit shops in a town centre. Logistics centres, distribution hubs and warehouses are in demand, and this demand is unlikely to decrease as online sales grow.
As well as new warehouse construction, many online businesses are re-organising existing warehouse space to maximise storage capacity. Online customers expect speedy deliveries, and warehouse owners are working with their warehouse equipment supplier to equip warehouses with new shelving systems and packing stations to process orders quicker.
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