The company fears that teleworking will make it lose competitiveness. (Photo: Romeo Mocafico)
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RÉVEIL-MATIN. Nearly three years following the massive adoption of teleworking, the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) is now making it mandatory to be in the office three to four days a week, reports Archyde.com.
On Tuesday, the banking company told its employees that as of May 1, 2023, they should spend the majority of their time at their desks. They will now 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, obliges its employees to show up only once a week, while the TD Bank requires it only twice. The National Bank of Canada, meanwhile, aims for them to spend at least 40% of their time in the office.
Gradual return
In August 2022, RBC CEO Dave McKay had already started showing 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 then specified that telework was however “here to stay”.
Then, at the beginning of March, during his conference call with his shareholders on the results of his first quarter, the leader hardened his tone, recalls the Globe and Mail.
He said then that productivity and innovation within his organization had taken a toll since his workers worked from home most of their time.
Adapted measure
The leaders of each department will therefore have to adapt the directive to return to work three to four times a week according to their needs, and will inform their colleagues of the next steps.
If it recognizes that this request might cause inconvenience to certain teammates, RBC is of the opinion that it will be “the best thing to do for the team”, reports the Globe and Mail.
In the note sent Tuesday to employees, RBC indicates that the face-to-face makes it possible to resolve “complex issues more quickly, to learn and grow more effectively, and ultimately, to forge stronger bonds with others”.
Without this increase in traffic to her workspaces, she fears that the organization’s competitiveness will suffer.
