PwC has informed its UK accountants and consultants that they will spend an average of two to three days each week in the office after the pandemic ends.
This makes the accounting firm the first of the Big Four companies, which include Deloitte, Ernst & Young and KPMG, to fully flesh out its post-pandemic, long-term work arrangements.
The company told its staff that they would spend around 40% to 60% of their time in its UK offices or client sites, while working remotely for the rest of the week.
Employees will also be able to choose their work hours, allowing them to pick a schedule that best works for them instead of being required to abide by traditional 9 to 5 norms.
This follows other financial and professional services companies adjusting their work arrangements for a post-pandemic reality.
For instance, Nationwide told its 13,000 office-based workers they could work wherever they like.
However, some firms are still apprehensive about the remote working model, such as Goldman Sachs’ chief executive David Solomon who described working from home as an “aberration.”
Many companies are opting for a combination of both arrangements, like PwC, in order to maintain both the benefits of remote working and in-office arrangements.
“We’ve long promoted flexible working, and we hope today’s announcements make it much more the norm rather than the exception,” said Kevin Ellis, chair and senior partner a PwC UK. “The future of work is changing at such a pace we have to evolve continually how we do things to meet the needs of our people and our clients.”
