Santander and PwC Toughen Up on Hybrid Working, Requiring Staff to Spend 3 Days a Week in Offices

Employers are pushing back against the long-standing habit of working from home, with Santander and PwC introducing new policies that require staff to spend at least three days a week in the office. The move comes as the pandemic has forced many companies to adopt flexible working arrangements, but now some are seeking to balance work and personal life by ensuring a portion of work is done on-site. Santander, Spain's largest bank, is implementing a new attendance requirement for its 10,000 office-based staff, which includes working 12 days a month at one of its sites, equivalent to three days a week. PwC, a professional services firm, has instructed its 26,000 employees in Britain to spend a minimum of three days a week at one of its offices or client sites.

Key Takeaways:

• Santander is introducing a new attendance requirement for its office-based staff, requiring them to spend 12 days a month at one of its sites, equivalent to three days a week.
• The policy change affects 10,000 staff at Santander, who have until the end of the year to meet the new rule.
• PwC has also implemented a new policy, requiring its 26,000 employees in Britain to spend a minimum of three days a week at one of its offices or client sites.
• Santander's decision to increase attendance requirements is aimed at supporting and developing its staff, especially those at the earlier stages of their career.
• Mike Regnier, chief executive of the UK bank, works from his family home in Harrogate, Yorkshire, at least one day a week, but his contract specifies Milton Keynes as his primary workplace.
• The new office in Milton Keynes was opened in 2020, with Regnier saying he hoped it would encourage staff to trade in their work-from-home habits.

Statistics:

• 3 days a week: the number of days required for Santander staff to be in the office
• 12 days a month: the equivalent attendance requirement for Santander staff to meet their new rule
• 26,000: the number of PwC employees in Britain required to spend a minimum of three days a week at one of its offices or client sites
• 10,000: the number of Santander staff affected by the attendance requirement change
• 4,500: the number of staff at Santander's new hub in Milton Keynes
• 1,000: the number of staff based at one of Santander's main employment centres in London

Sources:

• "Santander employees told to spend 3 days a week at its offices" by Jill Treanor, The Guardian (no date mentioned)
• "PwC tells staff to spend more time in office" by Jill Treanor, The Guardian (no date mentioned)