PwC tells 22,000 staff they start work when they want and finish when they want

PwC tells 22,000 staff they start work when they want and finish when they want as well as work from home for half the week

  • PwC staff can spend 40 per cent to 60 per cent of their time on remote working
  • They will be expected to spend the rest of the time around colleagues or clients
  • In July and August, a majority can go home, or power down, at Friday lunchtime

Around 22,000 staff at auditing giant PwC have been told they can spend around half their working hours at home and end shifts early on Fridays in the summer.

The company said the ‘Deal’ would allow workers to spend on average 40 per cent to 60 per cent of their time on remote working, if they choose.

The staff will be expected to spend the rest of the time around their colleagues, either in the PwC offices, or alongside clients.

In July and August, a majority of staff will also be able to go home, or power down if they are already at home, at lunchtime on Fridays.

The staff will be expected to spend the rest of the time around their colleagues, either in the PwC offices, or alongside clients (file photo)

The company said it would allow staff to spend on average 40 per cent to 60 per cent of their time on remote working, if they choose. General picture taken today

The company said it would allow staff to spend on average 40 per cent to 60 per cent of their time on remote working, if they choose. General picture taken today

The company said it further plans to let staff decide if they want to change the times they start or finish work on any given day if it is more effective for their working pattern.

Chairman Kevin Ellis said: ‘We’ve long promoted flexible working, and we hope today’s announcements make it much more the norm rather than the exception. We want our people to feel trusted and empowered.

‘These changes are in direct response to soundings from our people, who’ve said they value a mix of working from home and in the office.’

Chairman Kevin Ellis (pictured) said: 'We've long promoted flexible working, and we hope today's announcements make it much more the norm rather than the exception. We want our people to feel trusted and empowered'

Chairman Kevin Ellis (pictured) said: ‘We’ve long promoted flexible working, and we hope today’s announcements make it much more the norm rather than the exception. We want our people to feel trusted and empowered’

He continued: ‘We want to help enshrine new working patterns so they outlast the pandemic.

‘Without conscious planning now there’s a risk we lose the best bits of these new ways of working when the economy opens up again.’

Companies around the UK are being forced to consider how they will return their staff to work when restrictions end.

Under the current schedule, office workers will be able to return to their places of work in June, however this could change if the pandemic shifts.

Other companies which have embraced a hybrid model or full-time home working include BP and Nationwide.

Laura Hinton, chief people officer at PwC, said: ‘The policies will be phased in as lockdown restrictions ease and more people return to the office over the coming months.’