Remote work took most companies by surprise in a positive way.
Now that Omicron is messing with back-to-the-office plans for the biggest banks, they have now implemented a hybrid mode where workers can choose between the office and working from home.
Bankers can work from home for the first few weeks of the new year if they are able to do so.
Not a day goes by without another company announcing a delay in its return to the office.
A large portion of companies are keeping quiet about their plans.
Banks are encouraging all employees, including vaccinated ones, to get tested before returning to the office.
This will be at managers' discretion and only applies to those whose role allows for remote work.
Across the UK we are seeing a rapid rise in Covid-19 cases related to the Omicron variant.
With the increase in holiday travel and gatherings, banks are allowing for more flexibility.
Remote workers found some advantages, such as saving an average of 40 minutes every day from a daily commute and an average monthly savings of £350 per month from working remotely.
The big banks will continue to monitor the data and provide an update in January on when they expect to be back in the office.
Many companies have continued to support the trend of remote working.
Remote work can increase productivity while still allowing flexible schedules for employees.
The demand for remote working increased during Covid-19, where a large percentage of the workforce experienced working from home for the first time.
According to Indeed, job postings mentioning remote work have increased by 180 per cent in 2021.
Forced returns to the office and pay cuts for remote workers are clashing with those who never want to come back.
Remote work during the pandemic provided some people with their first taste of better work-life balance, and unprecedented time to spend with their families or hobbies.
The opportunity to exchange an extra hour or two of commuting time for family time is surely important to many employees and would foster their loyalty to companies that get this right.