In 2020, the pandemic hit, and the world locked down. Suddenly white-collar staff went from working in the office, to working remotely. But now we are opening up, will people want to return? Hybrid working has become the buzzword of employers across the country, allowing individuals to have more flexibility over where they work. So how likely is this to function effectively? How do businesses manage staff and productivity? And will there ever be anyone in the office on Fridays....? Join Evan Davis and guests to find out.

GUESTS

PRODUCER

Labour shortages, particularly in the hospitality and HGV sector have dominated the headlines from petrol shortages, to worries about Christmas dinner being off the menu. And its not just the logistics sector at risk - hospitality, agriculture and the care sector have all reported labour problems in post-pandemic, post-Brexit Britain. So what exactly is the solution? Do we bring in more labour from abroad? Do we invest in training and developing British workers? Or are companies going to have to pay better wages and improve working conditions? Join us on this week's The Bottom line to find out...

GUESTS

Rain Newton Smith, Chief Economist, CBI

The extraordinary success of the creation of vaccines for Covid-19 has made the business of clinical trials look simple. But appearances can be deceptive and it usually takes many years and costs hundreds of millions of pounds to bring a new drug, therapy or medical device successfully to market.

Evan Davis and his guests discuss how the economics of commercial clinical trials now look for companies in the light of such a disruptive event as the pandemic. How far is greater collaboration - with start-ups partnering with big pharma and research companies - changing the way in which trials operate? And will new tech developments - like the greater, tailored use of Artificial Intelligence, digital data and advanced statistical techniques - make the process cheaper and quicker - while compromising neither safety nor patient confidentiality?

Those taking part are:

Editor Hugh Levinson

Should consumers be told the carbon footprint of the products they buy? And if so, how? In recent years, a shift in customer attitudes towards climate change has caused businesses to up their game when it comes to showcasing the environmental impact of products. But just how transparent it this? How much do buyers want to know about how sustainable their shopping is? Evan Davis and guests discuss the highly complex issues around carbon labelling and how best to communicate sustainable business practices.

Guests

Emma Keller, Head of Sustainability UK & Ireland, Nestle

Producer: Lucinda Borrell

Electric vehicles are a hot topic. Nissan has announced it will construct a factory to produce EVs, while the government says no new vehicles running on petrol or diesel will be sold after 2030. The electric transport sector will play a crucial role in tackling climate change. But are we on track to hit these targets? Can EVs deliver the same reliable service as combustion engine vehicles and reduce "range anxiety"? Does the rolling out of this transition have consumers convinced? Evan Davis and guests discuss.

Guests

Producer

The spending power of disabled people and their families - the so-called purple pound - is valued at £249 billion a year. So is there a competitive business advantage in designing accessible goods and services? Evan Davis and guests discuss, with examples ranging from haircare products to hotel rooms.

Guests

Sam Latif, Company Accessibility Leader at Proctor and Gamble

Producer: Lesley McAlpine

For nearly 20 years, the cruise industry experienced huge growth. Then a pandemic hit. After a year of forking out for boats docked in port and devastating headlines chronicling outbreaks early on in 2020, what does this mean for the future of cruises? How are they restarting, what barriers are they facing and - most importantly - how do they convince customers that they are indeed safe?

Guests

For years the suburbs have been seen as places to live, from which you can commute to a big city to work. But has the pandemic pushed the economic pendulum in the other direction? With more people working from home and cities becoming quieter, could this lead to a revival of the suburban economy? Evan Davis explores the national picture and hears from entrepreneurs in Denton, Greater Manchester, who have helped revive its struggling town centre, encouraging people to spend money locally.

Guests

John Spencer, Chief Executive of BizSpace

Producer: Lesley McAlpine

How can businesses cope with supply shortages? Car factories across the world have had to shut down because they can't get hold of enough silicon chips. And as many economies bounce back post-Covid, other industries are facing similar problems. How can enterprises plan both for sudden falls and surges in demand and how quickly can supply chains cope? Evan Davis and guests discuss.

Producer: Lucinda Borrell

The pandemic has given a nudge to the decline of cash. If that is the past - what is the future for our payments system? Could it simply be cards linked to bank accounts, handled via apps? Or could we be approaching a pivotal moment when the exciting (or maybe alarming) world of crypto and digital currencies take over? Central banks around the world are pondering this very question and are poised to launch their own digital currencies. Evan Davis and guests look into the future of money.

Guests:

Professor Catherine Mulligan, visiting lecturer at Imperial College, London and director of D-Central Lab at Lisbon University,