Citigroup, HSBC Holdings and Barclays are ordering more staffers to report to company offices five days a week, Bloomberg News reported late on Thursday (May 23).
Citi has asked about 600 US employees, who were earlier eligible to work remotely, to commute to company offices full-time, the report said, citing a statement from the lender.
The majority of Citi’s staff can continue their hybrid schedules, working up to two days a week outside the office, it said.
London-based Barclays mandated that thousands of its global investment banking staff must work in the office or travel to meet clients five days a week starting June 1, the Bloomberg report said.
Meanwhile, HSBC is talking to almost half of its workforce in New York, around 530 employees, about shifting regulations, the report said, citing an interview with the bank’s head of human resources for the US and Americas.
The firm is trying to let as many people as possible retain the option of logging in from home if they would like to, the report added.
Citi, HSBC and Barclays did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
However, the third-largest US lender said in an email statement, “The majority of Citi employees will continue to work on a hybrid schedule, with at least three days per week in the office and up to two days remotely.”
The private securities industry regulator had earlier during the week pushed back against banks, saying its new rules provide member firms with greater flexibility — not less — to allow eligible registered persons to work from home, following the expiration of temporary COVID-19 relief. – Bloonberg/Reuters
