PwC has told its UK workers that they should only spend two to three days a week in the office after the pandemic, as the firm formally moves towards a hybrid working policy.
The consultancy is the first Big Four firm to lay out its long-term policy on the return to work, telling staff they will be expected to spend 40% to 60% of their time in PwC’s offices or with clients, and the rest of the week at home.
The new arrangements form part of a broader move away from the traditional nine-to-five working hours, with the firm’s 22,600 UK employees given more flexibility as to when they log on and off for the day.
Kevin Ellis, chairman and senior partner at PwC, said: “We’ve long promoted flexible working, and we hope today’s announcements make it much more the norm rather than the exception. We want our people to feel trusted and empowered.
“These changes are in direct response to soundings from our people, who’ve said they value a mix of working from home and in the office. We want to help enshrine new working patterns so they outlast the pandemic.
“Without conscious planning now there’s a risk we lose the best bits of these new ways of working when the economy opens up again. The future of work is changing at such a pace we have to evolve continually how we do things to meet the needs of our people and our clients.”
PwC made no mention of reviewing its office footprint in the UK. However, in October last year it committed to retaining all of its office space as the country emerges from the pandemic.
The consultancy opened new offices in Birmingham and Watford last year. It also plans to move its workforce in Northern Ireland into new, larger offices in Belfast this summer.
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