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NEW YEAR-MORNING. Nearly three years after the massive adoption of remote working, the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) is now mandating presence in the office three to four days a week, reports Reuters.

On Tuesday, the bank told its employees that from May 1, 2023, they should spend most of their time at their desks. Now they will only be able to work from home once or twice a week.

The organization, which employs 97,000 people worldwide, thus becomes the Canadian financial institution with the strictest telework policy.

The Desjardins movement, for example, requires its employees to report only once a week, while Banco TD requires it only twice. The National Bank of Canada, meanwhile, wants them to spend at least 40% of their time in the office.

gradual return

In August 2022, RBC CEO Dave McKay had already started to show his colors, asking in an internal memo that all employees leave the comfort of their homes more to spend time in the presence of their peers. Hoping to see them return to the office two to three times a week, he clarified that telecommuting is here, however, “to stay”.

Then, at the beginning of March, during his conference call with his shareholders on the results of the first quarter, the manager hardened his tone, remember the Globe and Mail.

He then said that productivity and innovation within his organization had taken a toll as his employees were working from home most of the time.

adapted measure

Managers in each department will therefore have to adapt the return to work directive three to four times a week according to their needs, and will inform their colleagues of the next steps.

While he acknowledges that this request may cause inconvenience to some teammates, RBC considers that it will be “the best thing for the team”, reports the Globe and Mail.

In the memo sent Tuesday to employees, RBC says face-to-face allows people to “solve complex problems faster, learn and grow more effectively, and ultimately create stronger bonds with others.”

Without this increase in traffic to her workspaces, she fears that the organization’s competitiveness will suffer.