As vaccinations roll out and the pandemic starts to be tamed, companies are considering how they will return to the office post-COVID-19, and what that work environment will look like.

Law firms have begun announcing plans for in-office vs remote working. Allen & Overy, for instance, recently said that it expects its lawyers and staff to be able to work remotely 40% of the time. Meanwhile, Linklaters has announced a policy allowing its employees to work remotely for 20-50% of their time.

Simply put, the "presenteeism" that existed before has largely been proven to be an irrational fear. A hybrid model is taking root where, on a medium- to-long-term basis, some will physically be present in the office on certain days, and others won't.