PwC has informed employees that starting in January, they will need to spend at least three days a week working either in the office or on-site with clients, according to a Reuters report by Lewis Jackson.
PwC has announced new measures to track its employees' locations as part of a push to enforce stricter office attendance policies. From January, all employees will be required to spend at least three days a week in the office or working with clients. The company plans to monitor locations similarly to how it tracks chargeable hours, sharing this data with staff monthly.
This decision was communicated through a memo to PwC's 26,000 UK employees. The memo emphasized that this tracking aims to ensure that everyone adheres to the same rules, as previous guidelines left room for varied interpretations. The updated policy seeks to create consistency in how attendance is managed across the firm.
Earlier in the year, PwC reduced its summer working hours scheme, which had allowed employees to leave early on Fridays. Under the new guidelines, employees must now be in the office or at client locations for three days a week, up from the previous expectation of two days.
If employees fail to comply with the new three-day requirement, they will be expected to explain the reasons for their absence. If an informal resolution cannot be reached, PwC may resort to disciplinary actions, though this would be a last resort.
PwC's decision follows similar actions taken by its competitor EY, which began reviewing swipe-card entry data earlier in the year to monitor office attendance. EY uses this data to ensure that teams are complying with its hybrid working policy. Both firms, along with other major players in the accounting sector, have been working to cut costs and adjust their hiring strategies as they grapple with economic uncertainty and the impact of high inflation.
Laura Hinton, PwC UK’s managing partner, explained the rationale behind the new policy. She highlighted the importance of in-person collaboration, stating that face-to-face interactions are essential in a "people business" like PwC. The updated policy, she said, reflects the company’s commitment to client service, employee coaching, and learning and development.
While the policy shift is significant, it reflects broader trends in workplace attendance. In London, for example, many workers have returned to the office on a part-time basis, typically working in the office 2.7 days a week, with Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays being the most popular days. Workers who follow this pattern have been dubbed “TWaTs,” an abbreviation for “Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday staff.”
However, Londoners’ return to the office has been notably slower compared to other major cities like Paris and New York. According to research from the Centre for Cities, Parisians spend an average of 3.5 days in the office per week, while New Yorkers average 3.1 days. This slower return has raised concerns that the UK’s economy could suffer if more employees don’t return to the office regularly. Researchers warn that prolonged remote working may pose challenges for productivity in the long run.
As more firms crack down on flexible working arrangements, it remains to be seen how this shift will impact the workforce and business performance, particularly in the UK.
