Thousands of Barclays staff push back against office return rules

Barclays is facing mounting resistance from staff over plans to enforce stricter in-office attendance. Thousands of employees have signed an open letter to bank management demanding financial compensation for travel costs and exemptions for those who live more than 40 minutes from their workplace.

Under current rules, full-time staff must be in the office at least two days a week. New requirements announced earlier this summer will raise that to at least three days a week from October, with more senior staff expected to attend at least four days.

Union response

The letter, first reported by the Financial Times, has been circulated by Unite, which represents nearly 80% of Barclays' 45,000 UK-based employees. Unite national officer Rick Coyle said most banking and financial services employers are moving toward greater flexibility, and that members believe Barclays is addressing a problem that does not exist. He noted the number of signatories keeps growing, and the union plans to meet with Barclays in the coming days to discuss the strength of staff concerns.

Wider industry trend

Barclays' move mirrors similar policies at other major banks, including JPMorgan, whose chief executive Jamie Dimon said last year that banking works like an apprenticeship system that cannot be learned while working from home.

A Barclays spokesperson said the bank aims to balance flexibility with the value of working together in person, noting that minimum office-attendance requirements vary by business area. Most employees not already in the office three days a week will need to align with the broader policy, while the most senior leaders will spend an additional day in the office to support collaboration and decision-making.