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RÉVEIL-MATIN. Nearly three years after the massive adoption of telecommuting, the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) now mandates being in the office three to four days a week, a report reports Reuters.

On Tuesday, the banking company told its employees that starting May 1, 2023, they should spend most of their time at desks. You can only work from home once or twice a week.

The company, which employs 97,000 people worldwide, becomes the Canadian financial institution with the strictest telecommuting policy.

The Desjardins movement, for example, requires its employees to show up only once a week, while TD Bank requires it only twice. The National Bank of Canada, on the other hand, 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 by issuing an internal memo urging all employees to leave the comfort of their homes more to spend time in the presence of their colleagues. Hoping to see them return to the office 2-3 times a week, he then clarified that telecommuting “stays here,” however.

Then, in early March, during his conference call with shareholders on his first-quarter results, the boss sharpened his tone, reminiscent of Globe and Mail.

He said at the time that productivity and innovation were taking their toll on his organization, with his employees working from home most of the time.

Adjusted measure

The heads of the respective departments must therefore adjust the instructions for resuming work to their needs three to four times a week and inform their colleagues about the next steps.

Realizing the request could cause inconvenience to certain teammates, RBC believes it will be “in the best interest of the team,” reports the Globe and Mail.

In the note sent to staff on Tuesday, RBC notes that face-to-face interaction allows for “solving complex problems faster, learning and growing more effectively, and ultimately forging stronger bonds with others.”

She worries that without this increase in traffic to her workplaces, the organization’s competitiveness will suffer.