PwC tells employees it will use location data to police ‘back-to-office’ rule

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) will start tracking where its employees in the United Kingdom work, in a bid to dial back its current work-from-home culture.

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) will start tracking where its employees in the United Kingdom work, in a bid to dial back its current work-from-home culture. Staff at the UK arm of PwC, one of the world’s “Big Four” accounting firms, were this week informed by management that the new policy would take effect on January 1. A memo sent to the company’s 26,000 UK employees on Thursday and shared with CNN said the measure was being taken to formalize the company’s “approach to working together in person.” Employees were told they must spend at least three days a week – or 60% of their time – in the office or with clients. Previous guidelines required them to be in for between two and three days each week, but the memo suggests that was not universally adhered to. It said: “Our business thrives on strong relationships – and those are almost always more easily built and sustained face-to-face… By being physically together, we can offer our clients a differentiated experience and create the positive learning and coaching environment that is key to our success.” According to PwC, the move is intended to “adjust” the firm’s hybrid working approach and put “more emphasis on in-person working.”