HSBC is weighing a uniform return-to-office policy that would require employees across its global workforce to be physically present at least three days a week, replacing existing department-specific flexibility. The move comes as the bank aims to bring consistency to hybrid working models and improve in-person collaboration across its operations in over 60 countries.
Sources suggest senior leadership has discussed the shift amid concerns over varying attendance norms and underused office space. Currently, hybrid work rules are set by individual managers or teams. A new global framework could phase out that discretion.
The bank has already begun enforcing attendance targets for parts of its UK staff—linking at least 60% monthly office presence to performance reviews and bonus eligibility, with monitoring systems set to intensify from September.
If approved, the proposed model will align HSBC with major banking peers like JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup, both of which already mandate three to four days of in-office work weekly.
A decision is expected in the coming weeks, as HSBC also re-evaluates its real estate footprint ahead of its planned headquarters move to St Paul’s by 2027.
Source – https://www.bwpeople.in/article/hsbc-may-roll-out-three-day-office-mandate-globally-560441