- Nationwide CEO says leaders need to have a “physical presence” in the office
- The company’s RTO mandate has been in force for 12 months
- Extra childcare support should be offered to support this
The debate surrounding hybrid working continues to rumble on, with UK banking giant Nationwide taking a stance against working from home in favor of job opportunities.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s ‘Today’ programme (via the BBC), its CEO, Debbie Crosbie, stated a “physical presence” helps employees access more career growth opportunities at work.
Last month marked the 12-month anniversary of the company’s return to office mandate, but the two-day-per-week policy has been less demanding than the tech industry standard three-day policy.
Nationwide is against WFH
Crosbie didn’t write off working from home altogether, acknowledging that it can offer the flexibility needed for workers with caring responsibilities, however on the flip side, she indicated that leaders should be present to set an example and be on hand for their teams, suggesting that office-based working is a crucial part of becoming a leader.
She added: “Being seen and then seeing other leaders is a really important part of development… I benefited enormously from watching some really excellent leaders and how they navigated challenging problems.”
The boss’s stance on remote working marks a significant shift from her predecessor, Joe Garner, who supported the flexible working setup.
At Nationwide specifically, men have proven more likely to work from the office than women, leading Crosbie to urge businesses to support female workers and families with flexible childcare options.
Despite championing office-based working, Crosbie is desperate not to discriminate against those who are less able to leave home: “We just need to be careful that we don’t inadvertently prevent women from taking some of the opportunities by not being in the office when they feel it’s beneficial both to their skills and to contribute to the business.”
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