NatWest faces union backlash after asking staff to spend at least two days a week in office

Oct 20 (Reuters) - British bank NatWest's NWG.L move to ask staff to work from office at least two days a week drew sharp criticism on Tuesday from union Unite, which raised concerns about costs to employees and disruptions to family arrangements.

The decision highlights growing tensions over flexible working arrangements as employers push for greater office presence, while workers grapple with rising commuting costs and childcare needs.

"This is yet another kick in the teeth for workers who have suffered years of real-terms pay cuts and who are struggling to make ends meet," Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham said in a statement.

The British lender had introduced a three-pronged approach to post-pandemic working habits in 2021, with 55% of staff on a hybrid model mixing home and office working, 32% in a "remote-first" model with a minimum of two days a month in the office and the remainder on an "office-first" model.

However, several global companies, including AirBus, Stellantis and big tech firms such as Amazon and Microsoft, have reversed COVID-era remote working policies in a bid to increase productivity.

"Flexible working remains an important part of how we work but we’ve also learned more about the value that spending time together brings for our colleagues and customers," a NatWest Group spokesperson said in an emailed statement on Tuesday.

The bank would give staff time to plan ahead and support them through the transition, it added.

Meanwhile, Unite said the new policy violated NatWest's 2025 pay deal terms, which included a jointly negotiated blueprint setting out how workers and their union would be consulted on future changes to office attendance.

"For many workers, homeworking is not a perk. It is what allows them to balance work with caring responsibilities or manage a health condition. These arrangements have worked successfully for years," said Caren Evans, Unite National Officer for Finance.