An email has been sent to staff at Deloitte US telling them that in future, if they fail to comply with requirement to work in the office or attend face to face client meetings at least 50% of their working week, their pay could be affected. Office working will now be part of the annual performance review, which governs pay reviews and bonuses.

Businesses in the US have been under pressure to crack down on remote working since president Trump issued executive orders requiring all public sector workers to return to full-time office working. Since lockdown the percentage of staff working in office settings has fallen dramatically, although increasingly employers are demanding higher office attendance.

But the move will not affect UK staff at Deloitte, which has ‘no plans to change its policy’. The firm continues to allow flexible working for staff, with most roles now hybrid, combining a mix of office, client site and home working. ‘This flexible approach allows people to combine their careers with hobbies and family life, creating a better work/life balance’, Deloitte stated on their flexible working web page.

In January, the UK firm also started offering equal pay during family leave to all parents. This means new parents will be eligible for 26 weeks’ fully paid leave. This includes maternity, adoption and surrogacy, paternity and shared parental leave.

It also offers the Deloitte Time Out scheme allowing employees to take a four-week period of unpaid leave once a year, for any reason, at a time that suits them and the business. This is designed to ‘ensure that all our people are able to balance their lives outside work with a successful and fulfilling career,’ according to Deloitte UK.

In the UK, the government is planning to make flexible working the default for UK companies, part of the wide-ranging Employment Rights Bill. This is currently going through the parliamentary process with no firm dates for when the new worker rights will be enacted and come into force.

A recent Deloitte Switzerland Demographic report quoted Bettina Schaller, president of the World Employment Confederation and Adecco group head of public affairs, saying: ‘Making employment models more flexible is an important part of tackling demographic change and enables companies to boost employee satisfaction and productivity, with a positive impact on staff retention. But such measures in isolation are not enough.’

Deloitte US has not responded to a request for comment.

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