EY staff to work two days a week from home post pandemic
EY has today confirmed that the majority of its staff will work from home for two days a week for good, the latest big business to eschew a return to the traditional office life.
The Big Four firm’s 17,500 staff will spend three days a week in the office or at client sites, with the rest of the week done remotely.
Staff at the firm were informed of the decision earlier today. With the pandemic ongoing, EY is encouraging its staff to work from home, although its offices are open for those who need them to be.
In a statement, EY said: “EY will start a period of experimentation from this September in which it will test, refine and evolve its approach to ensure the model meets the needs of its people, clients and other stakeholders.
“This will be accompanied by a longer-term programme, in which EY offices will be reconfigured to create more collaboration spaces for meetings and group working.”
Fellow professional services firms such as KPMG, PwC, BDO and Grant Thornton have already announced similar programmes.
Hywel Ball, EY’s UK Chair comments: “Like many organisations, we have been assessing the impact of changing work patterns on how, when and where our people work.
“The experience of the pandemic has brought new perspectives to both our people and our clients on how they manage their working lives.
“We have championed flexible working for many years prior to COVID-19 and we will continue to do so. This has been built on a culture of trust with our people.
“We also believe there will always be a need for EY to have office space across the UK, but how we use our offices in the future will change with a greater emphasis on collaboration rather than as a place for individual working.