Neil Garratt, leader of City Hall Conservatives, said: “If he’s moaning about businesses in London not getting people back in the office, maybe he should explain why he’s sticking with his plan of having most of his own City Hall staff working from home most of the time.”.
However, the current headquarters cannot accommodate all staff at the same time, meaning that City Hall employees typically spend two or even three days a week away from the office - an arrangement defended by Sir Sadiq’s team as being good for staff “productivity and well-being”.
Sir Sadiq Khan has been accused of “utter hypocrisy” by Conservative critics after he urged London’s businesses to encourage their staff back into the office, despite the fact that City Hall operates on a “hybrid working” model.
In a message to the capital’s business community, Sir Sadiq urged employers to encourage their staff back into the office, though he also suggested companies should find ways to make the office environment more attractive for workers in the first place.
“The mayor believes that flexible working is important for many workers, business and organisations and of course there are advantages to home working, but spending time in the workplace and engaging face-to-face with colleagues is also important – not only for personal development and teamwork, but to make the most of all the culture and leisure facilities our great city has to offer.”.
