Santander to Roll Back Remote Working in UK, Requiring Staff to Work in Office Three Days a Week

Spain’s Santander bank‌ is ⁢scaling back remote working and plans to require staff in its UK business⁢ to ⁢work in the office three days a week from next ⁢year. This change⁣ marks a shift towards increased office working ‍and a rollback ‍of hybrid working practices that have become widespread during the coronavirus pandemic.

Currently, UK staff are expected to work two days‌ a ⁤week in the office.​ The change ⁢to ⁣12 days a month, or three days a week, was communicated⁢ in writing ⁢to ‍around 10,000 staff. This decision reflects ⁢a growing trend among employers to‍ emphasize office working and reduce remote ⁤work arrangements.

The ​move by Santander is not ⁢an isolated incident.⁤ Last ⁤week, PricewaterhouseCoopers, one⁤ of the Big Four accounting firms, told‍ staff and partners they should​ be in the office or with clients at least three days a week, up from two or three days ⁢previously. ‍This shift ‌towards increased office working⁢ is likely to have implications for employees and employers alike.

London, in particular, has been slow to⁢ return to‍ office working, ⁢with people only⁤ returning to the office for about half the ​week. This lags behind other ⁢major cities like Paris and⁢ New York, where office working ‍has become more prevalent. As⁢ employers‌ continue to reassess their remote⁤ work policies, it remains to be seen how this will impact the‍ future of ‍work.