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Offices 'far from dead,' property firm says as work from home rises

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/business/06/10/20200601-covid-gcg-day1-fsj-6462.jpg"/><figcaption>Workers passes thru foot baths outside an office building, one of the safety precautions as part of the &#x27;new normal&#x27; under the general community quarantine on June 1, 2020 in Quezon City. Fernando G. Sepe Jr., ABS-CBN News/File</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA - Bringing workers back to their offices is &quot;crucial&quot; to increasing productivity post-lockdown, a property consulting firm said Wednesday, as most firms experiment with work from home set-ups. Working from home could be effective in the US or in other markets but &quot;it does not work very well in the Philippines,&quot; Santos Knight Frank CEO Rick Santos told ANC. &quot;Studies showed that people want to be in the office. I think its integral to get people back into the office and I think that’s crucial. That’s where production, creativity happens. The office space sector is far from dead, we got to get people back in the office,&quot; Santos said. &quot;We’ve done some metrics and that the work from home set-up does not work very well in the Philippines, that will be reflecting in a lot of companies earnings,&quot; he added. The office space market also has a multiplier effect, boosting retail, residential and other economic activities in cities, Santos said. Almost half of the country&#x27;s population was forced to stay home when the COVID-19 lockdown in Luzon was imposed in March. Companies implemented work from home set-up as businesses temporarily shut. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/01/11/19/telecommuting-act-sends-strong-signal-ph-can-be-at-par-with-global-standards">Telecommuting Act ‘sends strong signal’ PH can be at par with global standard</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/03/19/20/work-from-home-be-productive-secure-and-healthy-during-covid-19-lockdown">Work from home: Be productive, secure and healthy during COVID-19 lockdown</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/03/19/20/tips-on-how-to-make-employees-work-from-home-more-effectively">Tips on how to make employees work from home more effectively</a></li></ul>

Bringing workers back to their offices is "crucial" to increasing productivity post-lockdown, a property consulting firm said Wednesday, as most firms experiment with work from home set-ups.

Bringing workers back to their offices is "crucial" to increasing productivity post-lockdown, a property consulting firm said Wednesday, as most firms experiment with work from home set-ups.