The Newshound

Barclays waters down its three-days-a-week office mandate until 2027 after thousands of staff sign Unite letter

From the Newshound archive · first published 29 September 2026 · last updated 30 September 2026.

Barclays staff who request a delay before Friday can postpone the three-days-a-week office mandate until 2027 with line manager approval.
Barclays staff who request a delay before Friday can postpone the three-days-a-week office mandate until 2027 with line manager approval.

Barclays has retreated from its return-to-office crackdown following a mass staff rebellion, letting employees postpone the new attendance requirements until next year with their line manager's approval. The bank had told its 45,000 UK workers that, from 5 October, attendance would rise from two days a week to three. Any employee seeking a delay must do so before this week is out.

Thousands of Barclays staff put their names to an open Unite letter calling for travel cost reimbursements and exemptions for employees whose commute exceeds 40 minutes.

MoreThe GuardianBarclays softens return-to-office plans for UK staff after backlashFinancial TimesBarclays waters down return-to-office mandate after staff backlashmarketscreener.comBarclays Reportedly Delays Back-to-Office Mandate After Employee Backlash - marketscreener.comthebanker.comBarclays delays return-to-office plans - thebanker.com
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