In the latest edition of the Nareit REIT Report, Darin Buelow, global location strategy leader at Deloitte, looked at the specific challenges that financial institutions face in returning to the workplace after an extended absence resulting from COVID-19.

According to Deloitte, financial institutions account for more than 15% of total office leasing activity.

Buelow noted that many financial service firms are located in downtown high-rise environments where employees have to use public transportation and deal with elevator access. COVID-19 is hitting these companies “very profoundly,” he noted.