Barclays staff push back against return-to-office mandate

Thousands of Barclays staff have signed an open letter demanding the bank reverse its plan requiring them to work from the office at least three days a week from October.

• Barclays told staff to work from the office at least three days a week starting next month, up from two, with senior leaders required to come in four days.
• Unite, representing about 36,000 Barclays staff, called for the decision to be reversed and demanded exemptions for long commutes plus a one-off payment to offset costs.
• Unite national officer Rick Coyle said thousands of employees have signed the open letter and the figure continues to rise.
• A Barclays spokesperson said minimum time-in-office requirements vary by business area and that most colleagues would align with the broader approach.