Santander tightens hybrid working rules, urging staff back to the office

Santander has tightened its hybrid working policy, instructing its UK office staff to work the equivalent of three days a week in its offices.

In a recent update to its 10,000 employees, the Spanish-owned bank announced that its current policy of allowing employees to work two days a week at one of its locations will be replaced by a requirement of 12 days a month — effectively three days a week.

The change is in line with a broader trend among employers to increase on-site presence, with many companies looking to shift the balance of hybrid working towards more time in the office. The change comes on the heels of PwC’s announcement that its 26,000 UK employees must now spend at least three days a week in the office or at client sites, up from two to three days previously.

Santander’s new policy, which comes into effect at the end of the year, aims to bring employees back to the office with greater flexibility than the strict three-day working requirement. The bank said being in the office was crucial to supporting and developing its employees, especially those at the start of their careers.

The guidance affects office-based staff, including 4,500 at Santander’s new Milton Keynes hub and 1,000 in London. It does not apply to branch staff. Santander’s UK chief executive, Mike Regnier, works from his home in Harrogate, Yorkshire, at least one day a week, despite his contract stating that the £150m Unity Place complex in Milton Keynes is his primary place of work.

The move by Santander is part of a wider push among employers to combat entrenched remote working habits that have developed during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, some banks, such as Lloyds, have opted for a more lenient approach, allowing office staff to work from home for up to three days a week, with the option of five days during the summer months.

Santander hopes that increased office presence will foster collaboration and mentoring, which it sees as essential for employee development and overall workplace culture.