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Hybrid workingEmployee relationsLatest NewsFlexible working

WPP staff petition against four-day office return

by Kavitha Sivasubramaniam 10 Jan 2025
by Kavitha Sivasubramaniam 10 Jan 2025 Shutterstock / Milos Ruzicka
Shutterstock / Milos Ruzicka

Staff at advertising giant WPP have launched a petition ahead of the introduction of a four-day office return policy.

A group of “concerned WPP employees” are collecting signatures from colleagues, claiming the firm’s decision is “a step backwards” in a post-pandemic working world.

Earlier this week, more than 100,000 staff were told in an email from the company’s CEO Mark Read that they would be expected to attend the workplace for a minimum of four days from April.

The petition, which has so far been signed by nearly 2,500 people, urges Read and WPP’s decision-makers to “reconsider this mandate and adopt a policy that respects and prioritises the wellbeing and preferences of its employees”.

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It stated: “In a post-Covid world where many businesses have embraced flexible working styles, WPP’s decision seems to be a step backwards in supporting employee wellbeing and work-life balance, citing anecdotal data that either does not exist or has been misrepresented.

Highlighting that “the mental and social effects on employees due to such rigid work regimes can be extensive”, the petition urged employees to support its cause.

It said: “It’s time to move towards a future of work that’s flexible, mindful, inclusive and evidence-based.”

Confirming that its new global office attendance policy requires people to work in the office for a minimum of four days per week on average, WPP said it would come into effect in April 2025 to give people time to make relevant adjustments and for agencies to prepare their spaces.

The policy will include at least two Fridays a month to ensure consistent office presence and employees will have one flexible workday per week, with specific arrangements to be agreed with managers, according to the business.

WPP highlighted that people’s individual circumstances will be taken into account and exceptions will go through a formal approval process.

A company spokesperson said: “We believe this is the right policy for the long-term interests of the company as a whole, knowing that it won’t be popular with everyone. And we will take the time to implement it in a collaborative and pragmatic way with our teams.”

 

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Kavitha Sivasubramaniam

Kavitha Sivasubramaniam is an experienced journalist, editor and communications professional who has been working in B2B publishing for more than 17 years. After graduating from Bournemouth University with a degree in Multi Media Journalism, Kavitha started her career in local and regional newspapers, before moving to consumer magazines and later trade titles, as well as PR. Specialising in pay and reward, she has been editor of a number of HR publications including Pay & Benefits, Employee Benefits, Benefits Expert, Reward and CIPP’s membership magazine, Professional. In June 2024, she won Pay, Reward and Employee Benefits Journalist of the Year at the Willis Towers Watson media awards. She was also named one of Each Person’s top 20 influential HR bloggers and managed a highly commended content team of the year in 2019.

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