While there may have been some worrying recent upticks in the number of positive COVID-19 cases in the UK, brokerage giant Aon has set its sights firmly on the recovery period and wants to help businesses and society move forward.
Known as the London Work, Travel and Convene Coalition, the idea is that it will allow members to share learnings and insights related to planning and operations, as well as outlining the latest technologies and how they can be used to further push the return to the workplace. It is hoped the collective knowledge will be used to establish a first-of-its-kind benchmark that will produce an initial report in November this year.
“We are very pleased to bring our coalition-building efforts to London, one of the world’s leading international financial centres,” said Aon UK CEO Julie Page. “While all parts of London face challenges in acclimatising to the ‘new better’ following the government-mandated lockdown, the City and Canary Wharf face specific challenges in getting people back to the workplace, such as high-rise buildings, the density of buildings and people, and dependence on public transport. These parts of London also form an interconnected ecosystem, and decisions made by the large employers that inhabit them will be a determinant in London’s ability to move toward societal and economic recovery. We also believe there is an important opportunity to learn from the pandemic and its impact, to build stronger operational resilience and explore improvements in how we most effectively use the workplace.
“Large employees have a critical role to play, and we hope that by working closely with the public sector and guidelines set by the government, we can be a positive catalyst in helping organisations return safely to the workplace and rebuilding economies around the world.”
Managing director, EMEA for Aon Global Risk Consulting, Richard Waterer noted that a people-first approach is vital as businesses reopen.
“Key to this will be evaluating how we can embrace new technologies that support businesses and employees and help in the drive to create more diverse and inclusive workplaces,” he said.
“The London Coalition will also focus on community wellbeing, to ensure that our collective efforts play a role in supporting social justice, as well as societal and economic recovery initiatives. It’s vital that we commit to strengthening the communities in which we work, many of which have been dramatically impacted by the reduction in office workers as a consequence of the pandemic.”
