The World Bank is looking to increase its head count of staffers physically present at its headquarters in Washington as coronavirus cases drop in the metro area. The goal is to reach 50% capacity by early September, according to an internal memo obtained by Devex.
The phased return to the office after more than a year of remote work is being closely monitored and will depend on continued improvements in the overall health situation, according to the memo. The bank aims to have about 10% of Washington-based employees back in the building by June 14.
Around the world, the state of affairs for the global institution is patchier, with many of its locations still fully closed, particularly in places that have been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Across Latin America and India, for example, most offices are shuttered.
About half of the bank’s 12,000-plus staffers work from the Washington headquarters in normal times.
UN prepares to reopen, with New York taking slowest approach
Workers are getting back to their desks at United Nations offices in Vienna, Geneva, and New York, following closures amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Why it matters: Getting the entire organization back to normal will depend on global caseloads and the pace of COVID-19 vaccine delivery and distribution. As the bank seeks to alleviate pandemic-induced inequality worldwide through its financing, many of its U.S.-based staffers could work in person in the shorter term while those elsewhere are still remote.
What to watch: The move comes after the International Monetary Fund also announced a phased return to in-person work. Meanwhile, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva indicated in April that the next World Bank and IMF annual meetings will likely be held in person, though they may be smaller than usual.
About the author
Shabtai Gold
Shabtai Gold is a Senior Reporter based in Washington. He covers multilateral development banks, with a focus on the World Bank, along with trends in development finance. Prior to Devex, he worked for the German Press Agency, dpa, for more than a decade, with stints in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, before relocating to Washington to cover politics and business.
