The co-owner of Manchester United football club, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, has stated that employees who are not willing to come to the club’s premises to work should seek ‘alternative employment’.
According to a report in the Guardian, Ratcliffe, who also owns the chemicals giant Ineos, said that productivity falls when people work from home. He cited a 20% drop in email traffic at one of his companies when it trialled work-from-home Fridays.
Since the Covid pandemic, Manchester United has had a flexible work-from-home policy but at a staff meeting held in person and online video last week he announced a reversal of this and told employees: “If you don’t like it, please seek alternative employment.” He said working together in person would strengthen unity and collaboration.
The club has about 1,000 employees, many of whom were said to be concerned by Ratcliffe’s statement given that, according to press reports, United’s facilities were often used for hospitality and other activities and there was not enough space for permanent in-office workers.
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As well as Old Trafford stadium, the club has premises in London and at its Carrington training base.
A working group to implement Ratcliffe’s policy will be set up, said the Guardian. This may address related issues such as that some staff have flexible contracts that stipulate they do not have to work from club offices. Some of these employees do not live in Manchester or London.
Commentators have noted that Ratcliffe’s statement is a surprise given his role as head of football operations at Manchester Utd. During his recent tour of facilities, he said the IT department was in a “disgraceful” state and issued a warning over “untidiness” in the training facilities.
He said: “I had a good tour around some of the facilities. I am afraid I was struck in many places by a high degree of untidiness. In particular, the IT department which frankly was a disgrace and the dressing rooms of the U18 and U21 were not much better.
“These standards would not come close to what we would expect at Ineos and we are a chemical company. Manchester United is an elite sporting organisation.
“It’s a small thing in many ways but unless an organisation has standards and discipline it will not succeed.”
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